Hong Kong High-Rise Inferno Kills 44; Nearly 300 Missing as Unsafe Scaffolding Probed

A massive fire raging through a Hong Kong apartment complex has killed at least 44 people and left nearly 300 missing, with police saying unsafe scaffolding and foam materials used in maintenance work may have fuelled the disaster.

Firefighters battled through the night to reach residents feared trapped on upper floors of the Wang Fuk Court estate in Tai Po, where intense heat and thick smoke have hampered rescue operations since the blaze erupted on Wednesday afternoon. The dense complex of eight blocks houses more than 4,600 residents in over 2,000 apartments—reflecting Hong Kong’s chronic shortage of affordable housing.

By Thursday morning, authorities said the blaze had been contained in four blocks, though flames were still visible on two of the 32-storey towers encased in bamboo scaffolding and green construction mesh. Police said some windows in an adjacent block were sealed with foam material that appeared not to meet fire-safety standards.

“We have reason to believe the company’s responsible parties were grossly negligent,” Police Superintendent Eileen Chung said, announcing the arrest of three construction-firm staff—two directors and an engineering consultant—on suspicion of manslaughter. Hong Kong has been phasing out traditional bamboo scaffolding since March due to safety concerns.

A firefighter was among the dead, and 45 people remain in critical condition. Hong Kong leader John Lee said the government’s immediate priorities were extinguishing the fire, rescuing trapped residents and supporting survivors. Some 279 people remained uncontactable, and 900 were sheltering at temporary sites, authorities said. The toll makes it Hong Kong’s deadliest fire since 1948.

The tragedy has drawn comparisons to London’s 2017 Grenfell Tower inferno. “To the families, friends and communities, we stand with you,” the Grenfell United survivors’ group said.

Outside shelters, distraught families searched for missing relatives. A woman surnamed Ng wept as she looked for her daughter and husband. Long-time residents described hearing explosions, racing to flee and returning to find their blocks still burning.

A crowdsourced online document circulating among residents listed missing persons by block and room number, with entries including elderly parents, children and entire families. Reuters could not verify the information.

Public anger grew online, with many accusing the construction contractor of negligence. One widely shared video showed workers smoking atop the bamboo scaffolding during renovation.

From Beijing, Chinese President Xi Jinping ordered an “all-out effort” to contain the blaze and reduce casualties. Hong Kong authorities said roads around the estate would stay closed and 39 bus routes diverted. Six schools suspended classes due to the fire and heavy congestion.

The blaze also renewed debate over bamboo scaffolding, which has been linked to multiple accidents and at least three fires this year. The government recently mandated that half of all public projects shift to metal scaffolding, following 22 scaffolding-related deaths between 2019 and 2024.

Wang Fuk Court, built in 1983 under a subsidised home-ownership scheme, has been undergoing a HK$330 million renovation, with each flat contributing HK$160,000–180,000. Hong Kong’s soaring property prices and mounting frustrations over governance add political weight to the disaster ahead of next month’s legislative elections.