LONDON — The dying toll from the massive fire at a residential condo advanced in Hong Kong rose to 128 as of Friday, as search and rescue efforts continued.
Hong Kong Secretary for Safety Chris Tang Ping-keung introduced the brand new dying toll on Friday however warned that extra our bodies should still be discovered.
Three males related to the development agency answerable for the renovation on the housing advanced have been arrested and are underneath investigation in reference to the fireplace, Hong Kong police stated throughout a press convention early Thursday morning.
Police suspect the mesh used in the course of the renovation was less than normal, and the corporate put in a considerable amount of Styrofoam within the home windows and the outer partitions which acted as an accelerant as soon as the fireplace started, police stated.
The mesh and the Styrofoam have been discovered within the one constructing that wasn’t impacted by the fireplace, police stated.
Greater than 140 hearth engines and over 800 firefighters and paramedics have been deployed on Wednesday to reply to the fireplace, with drones additionally in use, officers stated.
Firefighters spray water on flames as a serious hearth burns by a number of condo blocks on the Wang Fuk Court docket residential property in Hong Kong’s Tai Po district on Nov. 27, 2025.
Peter Parks/AFP by way of Getty Photographs
Some 279 individuals have been reported lacking, Hong Kong chief John Lee stated throughout a press briefing earlier Thursday.
“The fireplace has resulted in lots of casualties, together with a fireman who died within the line of responsibility,” Lee stated in an earlier assertion posted to social media. “I categorical my deep disappointment and my deep condolences to the households of the useless and the injured.”
Chinese language President Xi Jinping expressed his condolences and sympathies to the victims’ households and people affected in an announcement.
He stated he ordered authorities to “do all the things potential to make sure search and rescue operations, medical remedy for the injured, and post-disaster aid, and to offer crucial help to related departments and native authorities to attenuate casualties and losses.”
Thick smoke and flames rise as a serious hearth engulfs a number of condo blocks on the Wang Fuk Court docket residential property in Hong Kong’s Tai Po district on November 26, 2025.
Yan Zhao/AFP by way of Getty Photographs
ABC Information’ Karson Yiu, Ellie Kaufman, Will Gretsky and Joe Simonetti contributed to this report.
