Hong Kong high-rise fire toll climbs to 44; 279 still missing as arrests made

The death toll from the massive fire that swept through several high-rise residential towers in Hong Kong has risen to 44, with nearly 300 people still unaccounted for, according to Chinese state media reports on Thursday.

The blaze, which erupted on Wednesday at Wang Fuk Court, is now regarded as the deadliest fire in Hong Kong’s history involving multiple residential blocks. At least 45 people have been injured, officials said.

Hong Kong Police have arrested three men on suspicion of manslaughter. The detainees — two company directors and a project consultant aged between 52 and 68 — worked for a construction firm responsible for renovation materials used in the buildings. Investigators believe gross negligence in the installation of these materials may have contributed to the scale of the tragedy.

Preliminary findings suggest that protective nets, waterproof canvases and plastic sheeting wrapped around the towers may not have met fire safety requirements. Police also discovered polyurethane foam used to seal lift lobby windows in one of the buildings, identifying the highly flammable substance as a potential factor in the fire’s rapid spread.

Hong Kong Chief Executive John Lee confirmed that 279 residents remain missing and said authorities are intensifying search operations around the clock.

Chinese President Xi Jinping expressed condolences on Wednesday night and instructed central authorities to support Hong Kong’s emergency response. He called for “all-out efforts” to extinguish the blaze, rescue those trapped, treat the injured and assist bereaved families, according to Xinhua.

Rescue operations and investigations continue as authorities work to determine the full extent of the disaster and accountability for the failures that may have fuelled it.

With PTI inputs