Authorities in Hong Kong have officially ended search and rescue operations following a catastrophic fire at the Wang Fuk Court residential estate in Tai Po, marking the city’s deadliest blaze in more than seven decades. The confirmed death toll has risen to 128, while dozens more remain unaccounted for, deepening the grief and shock felt across the region.

Hong Kong Security Chief Chris Tang announced on Friday that emergency teams had wrapped up their on-site operations after firefighters successfully brought the flames under control.

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Firefighting Efforts End as Smouldering Buildings Searched Unit by Unit

The Hong Kong Fire Services Department confirmed the blaze was “largely extinguished” at 10:18am (02:18 GMT) on Friday. Despite the declared end of firefighting operations, crews continued combing through the still-smouldering complex, forcing entry into hundreds of apartments to ensure no victims remained inside.

Deputy Fire Services Director Derek Chan said that firefighters would “endeavour to effect forcible entry to all the units of the seven buildings” to verify that no additional casualties had been overlooked.

Al Jazeera’s Jessica Washington, reporting from the estate, noted that firefighters were still moving room to room, searching for any survivors trapped since the blaze erupted.

“The community is in a deep state of grief,” she said, as families anxiously waited for updates.

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Deadly Blaze Fueled by Renovation Materials and Bamboo Scaffolding

The fire broke out on Wednesday afternoon at the eight-tower Wang Fuk Court estate, home to more than 4,600 residents. At the time, the buildings were undergoing renovations and covered in bamboo scaffolding and green construction mesh—conditions that helped the flames spread rapidly between floors.

Authorities said the fire’s intensity was worsened by illegal or unsafe construction materials, including flammable foam boards that had been placed over windows and acted as fuel during the blaze.

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Three Construction Company Officials Arrested for Manslaughter

Police confirmed the arrest of three construction company officials, who are now under investigation on suspicion of manslaughter. They allegedly approved or used hazardous renovation materials that contributed to the fire’s speed and severity.

The arrests come amid rising public anger and demands for accountability, especially from residents who say safety protocols were ignored during the renovation process.

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Hundreds Reported Missing; Families Desperate for Answers

As many as 279 residents were reported missing early Thursday morning. That number has not been updated for more than a day, heightening fears that the final death toll may rise further.

Chan confirmed that 25 emergency calls remain unresolved, including three made in the past several hours. Those cases would be fast-tracked during the final phase of the search.

Local resident Jacky Kwok expressed hope but acknowledged the grim reality:
“Hope they can find more survivors in the building. I think they had tried their best; the firefighters have done a lot. It is a terrible disaster that no one wanted to happen.”

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Survivors Found, But Rescue Teams Faced Extreme Conditions

Rescue teams battled intense heat, collapsing bamboo scaffolding, thick smoke, and debris, making it extremely dangerous to reach residents trapped on upper floors. Firefighters said that while some survivors were rescued from several of the towers, most victims were discovered in two heavily affected buildings.

Outside emergency shelters—eight of which currently house around 900 displaced residents—families clung to hope. One distraught mother searched for her daughter while carrying the young woman’s graduation photo, pleading for updates.

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Foreign Domestic Workers Among the Victims

The Indonesian Consulate confirmed that two of the dead were Indonesian domestic workers, part of Hong Kong’s large migrant household workforce. The city is home to about 368,000 foreign domestic helpers, primarily women from countries including Indonesia and the Philippines.

Their deaths further exposed concerns about worker safety in high-rise residential accommodations across Hong Kong.

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Deadliest Hong Kong Fire Since 1948

The tragedy is now the deadliest fire in Hong Kong since 1948, when a warehouse inferno killed 176 people. Comparisons are already being made to London’s 2017 Grenfell Tower fire, which killed 72 and sparked global debate about building safety standards.

Hong Kong’s Chief Executive John Lee announced the creation of a HK$300 million (USD $39 million) relief fund to support victims and affected families. Major Chinese companies have also pledged donations to assist with ongoing recovery efforts.

Outside the Kwong Fuk Community Hall, relatives gathered Friday to identify loved ones from photographs provided by authorities, many breaking down as they recognized faces among the deceased.

The investigation into the cause of the fire—and the responsibility of those involved in the building’s renovation—remains ongoing.