Deadliest fire in Hong Kong in decades claims 156 lives as grief and scrutiny intensify

Hong Kong is reeling from its most fatal fire in decades, as the death toll from the blaze at Tai Po’s Hong Fuk Court rose to 156 confirmed fatalities, according to updated figures released at a 5:00pm press conference on 2 December.

At the briefing, Lam Man-han, Regional Commander of New Territories North for the Hong Kong Police Force, said that search operations at Wang Cheung House and Wang San House had reached 40% and 90% completion, respectively.

Tsang Suk-yin, head of the Police Casualty Identification Centre, confirmed that 127 bodies had been identified, 29 remained unidentified, and around 30 people were still missing. The deceased include 10 foreign domestic workers and 5 construction workers, according to Secretary for Labour and Welfare Chris Sun Yuk-han.

The announcement coincided with the traditional "頭七" (head seventh day), an important day in Chinese mourning rituals. Families of the victims returned to the estate to pay respects, lay flowers, and participate in prayers, with monks chanting Buddhist sutras onsite.

Mourning and on-site efforts

At 1:00pm, public mourning activities were briefly suspended out of sensitivity to families present. Throughout the day, relatives of the deceased gathered outside the damaged buildings, offering incense and placing white flowers on makeshift altars and fences.

One ceremony honoured fallen firefighter Ho Wai-ho, whose family and colleagues paid tribute at the scene. Firefighters were seen laying white flowers, their expressions solemn.

Meanwhile, the Disaster Victim Identification Unit (DVIU) continued efforts to recover and identify victims’ remains. Authorities have collected preliminary photos to aid families in initial identification. Forensic procedures, including DNA and dental verification, will follow where visual identification fails.

Tsang Suk-yin stated that families will be invited to the Fu Shan Mortuary for formal identification. Specialised teams are coordinating with next of kin to support the process.

Criminal investigation and arrests

As of 1 December, police have arrested 15 individuals for suspected manslaughter. The suspects—14 men and 1 woman aged 40 to 77—include staff from the main repair contractor, engineering consultants, and subcontractors responsible for scaffolding and façade repairs.

Commander Lam Man-han said the scaffolding mesh, which may have contributed to the rapid fire spread, was considered a “key piece of evidence”. Authorities will remove and preserve it under controlled conditions, and estimate that related forensic work will take at least three weeks.

Calls for transparency and political tensions

The government has come under increasing public pressure to ensure transparency in the investigation. Several advocacy groups and residents have voiced concerns over building safety oversight and response times.

In response, Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu announced the formation of an Independent Commission, chaired by a judge, to examine the cause of the fire, its rapid spread, and the adequacy of fire safety protocols. The commission’s full scope and membership are still being finalised.

Earlier, District Councillor Wong Bik-kiu has publicly called for a broader investigation into the building’s owners’ corporation, alleging long-standing neglect of fire safety systems. She highlighted that although a HK$330 million maintenance project had been approved, safety infrastructure appeared lacking at the time of the fire.

At the same time, the authorities have issued warnings against what they term the “politicisation” of the disaster. According to media reports, a student from a civic group and two other individuals are being investigated for potential sedition after allegedly criticising the government’s response.

Lee, speaking on 2 December, said the government “will not tolerate any crimes that exploit the tragedy”, but declined to comment on individual cases.

A statement from China’s National Security Office warned against attempts to “plunge Hong Kong back into the chaos of 2019”, adding that those who attempt to “disrupt Hong Kong through disaster” will face “strict penalties”.

International organisations have criticised these developments. Amnesty International called on Hong Kong to “focus on a transparent investigation rather than silencing those who ask legitimate questions”. Human Rights Watch also expressed concern about the reported investigations and called for protection of free expression, especially in times of public grief.

Support measures and compensation

Authorities have introduced multiple support measures for affected individuals.

On 2 December, Chris Sun Yuk-han announced that the government would provide a one-off grant of HK$25,000 to approximately 200 workers assigned to the estate project. These include 160 construction workers, 19 cleaners, and 30 security guards.

Sun also confirmed that 235 foreign domestic workers were employed at the estate. Among them, 10 were confirmed dead, 3 injured, and approximately 30 are still unaccounted for.

Families of deceased workers will receive statutory compensation and condolence payments totalling around HK$800,000. Those injured may receive HK$50,000 or HK$100,000, depending on their hospitalisation duration. Surviving workers who escaped will receive HK$20,000, and those confirmed safe will be issued HK$2,000 Octopus cards.

Sun added that the Immigration Department will take a flexible and compassionate approach when considering visa extensions for domestic workers whose employers were killed.

Residents retrieve belongings under supervision

Residents of Wang Chi House will be allowed to return to their flats once, on 3 and 4 December, to retrieve important belongings. Each household is permitted to send up to two people, for a maximum of 90 minutes, between 9:00am and 9:00pm.

Lai Chi-hin, Eastern District Officer from the Home Affairs Department, said staff will be present to assist. The Social Welfare Department, Civil Aid Service, and uniformed police will accompany residents floor-by-floor to ensure safety and emotional support.

A one-household-one-social-worker scheme has been activated, and residents needing help can call 182 183.

Scam alerts and arrests

Authorities are also addressing a rise in scams targeting victims and donors.

Wan Chai Assistant Commander (Crime) Lam Kin-tat said police dismantled a fake donation website on the evening of 29 November, shortly after receiving a report that it was impersonating a local social welfare organisation. The site was promptly taken down and the associated puppet bank account frozen.

A 27-year-old woman from mainland China was arrested as the holder of the puppet account and remains in custody. Further arrests are expected.

Police also reported scams involving QR codes, fake aid forms, and impersonation of disaster victims. The Cybersecurity Bureau is investigating leaks of victim photos, and has urged the public to delete any such images out of respect.

Authorities advise the public to verify donation channels, use official sources, and report suspicious activity.

Public hotlines and contact

The Hong Kong Police Force has launched ten hotlines (5337 6671 to 5337 6681) for the public to submit photos or videos related to the fire. These operate daily from 8:00am to 8:00pm.

For inquiries about victims, the casualty hotline is 1878 999.