US EditionHong Kong police arrest construction firm bosses over fire; death toll hits 83 with scores missing
Three men linked to a construction firm were arrested for manslaughter amid investigations into flammable renovation materials causing Hong Kong’s deadliest fire since 1948, killing 83.
- On November 27th, 2025, a massive fire swept the Wang Fuk Court housing estate in Tai Po district, killing 75 and injuring about 70 as the blaze engulfed seven of its eight towers.
- Investigators point to materials used in refurbishment, saying the fire began on external scaffolding and raced along bamboo scaffolding and green protective mesh amid windy conditions.
- Police arrested three men on suspicion of manslaughter, including two directors and one engineering consultant, and raided Prestige Construction and Engineering Company’s office, seizing boxes of documents Thursday.
- Chief Executive John Lee said the government will provide HK$180,000 to each affected household and set up temporary shelters for over 900 displaced people, with social workers supporting recovery.
- Authorities opened anti‑corruption and safety probes as the Independent Commission Against Corruption investigates refurbishment corruption; calls for non-combustible scaffolds rise after the Development Bureau's March 2025 directive on 50% metal scaffolds.
520 Articles
520 Articles
Hong Kong's bamboo scaffolding under scrutiny after fatal fire
Dozens of deaths in an inferno at a Hong Kong residential estate have ignited debate over the role the city's quintessential bamboo scaffolding played in the fire's spread, as the government promised to phase it out.
HK calls off rescue efforts after worst fire in decades
Authorities in Hong Kong called off rescue efforts after the worst fire there in decades, with the death toll from an apartment-complex blaze rising to 128 and about 200 people still missing. “We do not rule out the possibility that more bodies could be discovered,” Hong Kong’s security chief said, adding that the priority now was to bring temperatures inside affected buildings down. Meanwhile authorities announced the arrest of the bosses of th…
About 200 people are still missing.
On November 26, a fire broke out in a high-rise apartment building in Tai Po, northern Hong Kong. According to the fire department, the fire has so far claimed at least 55 lives.
Coverage Details
Bias Distribution
- 43% of the sources are Center
Factuality
To view factuality data please Upgrade to Premium
