Jamaine Punzalan

Firefighters spray water on flames as a major fire burns through several apartment blocks at the Wang Fuk Court residential estate in Hong Kong's Tai Po district on November 27, 2025. Firefighters were still dousing a devastating fire on November 27 which ripped through a Hong Kong high-rise complex, killing at least 44 people and leaving hundreds missing according to authorities. Peter Parks, AFP

Article (news)

Izzy Lee

ABS-CBN News

<div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px;display:block" width="960"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1764222359787AFP__20251127__86BH3A8__v1__MidRes__HongKongChinaFire.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">Firefighters spray water on flames as a major fire burns through several apartment blocks at the Wang Fuk Court residential estate in Hong Kong&#x27;s Tai Po district on November 27, 2025. Firefighters were still dousing a devastating fire on November 27 which ripped through a Hong Kong high-rise complex, killing at least 44 people and leaving hundreds missing according to authorities. <em>Peter Parks, AFP</em></span></span></span></div><p>MANILA <strong>(UPDATED)</strong> — At least 23 Filipinos were affected by the devastating fire that tore through a Hong Kong high-rise residential complex and killed dozens of people, the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) and the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said Thursday.</p><p>One of the 23 overseas Filipino workers was confined in a hospital after being rescued by Hong Kong authorities together with her employer and an infant.</p><p>OWWA Administrator Patricia Caunan said many of the affected OFWs lost important documents in the fire.</p><p>&quot;Sila po ang naging kanilang concerns nila ay marami po sa kanila nasunugan passport at employment contract,&quot; Caunan said.</p><p>Caunan added teams from the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) and OWWA were on the ground.</p><p>&quot;We are in close coordination with officials po doon and the Filipino community,&quot; she said.</p><p>She said they have already distributed food packs and assistance to those affected, and are also reaching out to the families of OFWs in the Philippines who are seeking information and unable to contact their relatives in Hong Kong.</p><p>Around 70 to 80 individuals listed Hong Kong addresses in the affected area, Caunan noted.</p><p>“Sa ngayon, ang ginagawa po ng DMW-OWWA team, iniisa isa po ito para ma-mark safe po yung ating nga kababayan,&quot; she said.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/world/2025/11/27/what-we-know-about-hong-kong-s-deadly-high-rise-fire-1115">What we know about Hong Kong&#x27;s deadly high-rise fire</a></div><div><iframe width="1101" height="619" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/cfMfE-SbcaA" title="Bodies recovered from Hong Kong fire as firefighters battle blaze | ABS-CBN News" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></div><p>DMW Secretary Hans Cacdac said authorities were verifying whether those listed were physically present at the time of the fire.</p><p>&quot;Ayaw din nating magpanic ng husto &#x27;yung pamilya dito sa Pilipinas kasi baka naman on a certain likelihoood, wala sila dun, baka nasa ibang lugar sila. 2:51 p.m. nangyari, in the middle of the day, so we really need to be sure if they&#x27;re physically there,&quot; Cacdac said.</p><p>OWWA said it was too early to confirm reports that there could be OFWs trapped inside the building.</p><p>&quot;We need to call one by one and confirm kung sila ba ay safe and then also coordinate with the community,&quot; Caunan said.</p><div><strong>NO REPORTED FILIPINO CASUALTIES YET: DFA</strong></div><p>In a separate statement, the DFA said there are still no confirmed Filipino casualties in the fire, based on the report from the Philippine Consulate General in Hong Kong.</p><p>“The Consulate, together with the MWO-HK and OWWA-HK, conducted a joint visit of the shelters administered by the Hong Kong government to extend assistance to Filipino nationals affected by the fire. A total of 23 Filipino domestic workers required welfare assistance,” it also said.</p><p>The DFA also confirmed one OFW is confined at the ICU of a local hospital, confirming what OWWA earlier said.</p><p>“The Department is monitoring the situation in Tai Po closely. The Department also wishes to thank Hong Kong authorities who are helping locate, identify and assist affected Filipinos,” DFA added.</p><div><br/></div><div><iframe width="1100" height="619" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/_WnbeRs_aVk" title="LIVE: Firefighters still battling Hong Kong high-rise blaze (Courtesy: Reuters)" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></div><p>The inferno – the financial hub&#x27;s worst in decades – took hold on Wednesday afternoon in an eight-building housing estate with 2,000 apartments and sent shockwaves through the city, which has some of the world&#x27;s most densely populated and tallest residential blocks.</p><p>Police said early on Thursday they arrested three men in connection with the fire, after flammable materials left during maintenance work caused the blaze &quot;to spread rapidly beyond control&quot;.</p><p>Officers searched premises in a separate neighborhood on Thursday morning, taking away documents in binders in relation to the three people arrested, who police suspect &quot;acted with gross negligence&quot; by leaving foam packaging at the site of the fire.</p><p>A government spokesman said 56 people were being treated in hospital. Sixteen were in a critical condition, 24 in a serious condition and 16 were stable.</p><p>City leader John Lee said in the early hours of Thursday that 279 were unaccounted for, though firefighters said later that they had established contact with some of those people.</p><p>Lee said more than 900 people sought refuge at temporary shelters.</p><div><br/></div><div><iframe width="1100" height="619" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/QAFTyt879Bw" title="Hong Kong leader expresses deep sorrow over deadly fire | ABS-CBN News" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></div>

<p>At least 23 Filipinos were affected by the devastating fire that tore through a Hong Kong high-rise residential complex and killed dozens of people, the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) and the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said Thursday.</p>

At least 23 Filipinos were affected by the devastating fire that tore through a Hong Kong high-rise residential complex and killed dozens of people, the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) and the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said Thursday.

At least 23 OFWs affected by Hong Kong high-rise fire: PH officials

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At least 23 OFWs affected by Hong Kong high-rise fire: PH officials

Izzy Lee,

ABS-CBN News

Published November 27, 2025 01:49 PM PHT

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Updated November 27, 2025 11:13 PM PHT

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