Three Arrested After Hong Kong High-Rise Fire Leaves at Least 44 Dead
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Smoke rises from the residential buildings at Wang Fuk Court in Hong Kong as the deadly fire continues to burn Thursday. Photo: Bloomberg
Hong Kong authorities arrested three men on Thursday on suspicion of manslaughter after a massive fire swept through seven high-rise apartment buildings, killing at least 44 people.
The blaze also left at least 58 people injured, including 15 who were in critical condition, authorities said at a press conference Thursday morning. Among the dead was at least one firefighter. Hong Kong leader John Lee said earlier Thursday that 279 others remained missing.
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- A fire in Hong Kong’s Wang Fuk Court killed at least 44 people, injured 58 (15 critical), and left 279 missing.
- Three men from a construction company were arrested for alleged manslaughter due to suspected fire safety violations involving flammable scaffolding materials.
- Over 700 residents were evacuated; the blaze is among Hong Kong’s deadliest disasters in decades and reignites concerns over bamboo scaffolding’s safety risks.
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Who’s Who
- Chinachem Group
- On October 18, a smaller blaze occurred at Chinachem Tower in Central. This incident, linked to exterior scaffolding, prompted safety warnings from the Buildings Department.
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What Happened When
- 2025-10-18：
- A smaller blaze linked to exterior scaffolding occurred at Chinachem Tower in Central, sparking safety warnings from the Buildings Department.
- 2025-11-24：
- By this date, a Red Fire Danger Warning had been in place in Hong Kong.
- 2025-11-26：
- The massive blaze erupted in the afternoon in the Wang Fuk Court housing estate in Tai Po district; fire spread rapidly across seven towers.
- 2025-11-26 14:51：
- The Fire Services Department received its first emergency call and began a major rescue operation.
- 2025-11-26 18:22：
- The fire escalated from a level-one alarm to top-level five.
- 2025-11-27：
- By Thursday morning, Hong Kong authorities reported at least 44 dead, more than 58 injured, and 279 still missing in the fire; three men were arrested on suspicion of manslaughter.
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