Camille Naredo

Flowers are seen outside the Wang Fuk Court (back) in the aftermath of the deadly November 26 fire in Hong Kong's Tai Po district on November 29, 2025. Philip Fong, AFP

Flowers are seen outside the Wang Fuk Court (back) in the aftermath of the deadly November 26 fire in Hong Kong's Tai Po district on November 29, 2025. An outpouring of grief was set to sweep Hong Kong on November 29 as an official, three-day mourning period began with a moment of silence for the 128 people killed in one of the city's deadliest fires. (Photo by Philip FONG / AFP)

Article (news)

HONG KONG

<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/1764779195953AFP__20251129__86JL4WF__v1__MidRes__HongKongChinaFire.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" alt="Flowers are seen outside the Wang Fuk Court (back) in the aftermath of the deadly November 26 fire in Hong Kong&#x27;s Tai Po district on November 29, 2025. Philip Fong, AFP" width="960"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">Flowers are seen outside the Wang Fuk Court (back) in the aftermath of the deadly November 26 fire in Hong Kong&#x27;s Tai Po district on November 29, 2025. <em>Philip Fong, AFP</em></span></span></span></div><p>HONG KONG -- The death toll from Hong Kong&#x27;s worst fire in decades rose to 159 after all affected housing blocks were searched, police said Wednesday, cautioning that the figure may not be final.</p><p>The blaze last week engulfed Wang Fuk Court in the city&#x27;s northern Tai Po district, becoming the world&#x27;s deadliest residential building fire since 1980.</p><p>Police said the number of dead may still be revised as officers had found &quot;suspected human bones&quot; that require forensic testing.</p><p>Mourners continued to stream to a small park near the charred buildings on Wednesday, placing hundreds of bouquets and notes of remembrance for the victims -- the youngest of whom was a one-year-old baby, and the oldest 97.</p><p>&quot;I hope people can come here to lay their grief to rest,&quot; said visitor Sarah Lam, adding that the victims suffered &quot;many injustices&quot;.</p><p>&quot;I hope the truth is uncovered swiftly... so they don&#x27;t need to depart this world bearing such undeserved grievances,&quot; she said.</p><p>Sections of the park were decorated with lines of colorful origami cranes, and volunteers handed out paper and pens.</p><p>Forrest Li, 26, described the location as a &quot;bridge&quot;, allowing &quot;communication and the expression of grief through this unspoken connection&quot; with the deceased.</p><div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/world/2025/12/2/hong-kong-leader-says-independent-committee-to-probe-fire-1820">READ: Hong Kong leader says independent committee to probe fire</a></div><div><br/></div><div><strong>- Netting ditched -</strong></div><p>Residents of the sole unaffected tower were allowed to return home briefly on Wednesday to retrieve belongings.</p><p>Authorities earlier said the blaze on the estate, which was undergoing major renovations, was likely made worse by the use of netting that did not meet fire-resistance standards.</p><p>Flames quickly covered the surfaces of the apartment blocks, which were wrapped with bamboo scaffolding, protective netting and foam boards.</p><p>Secretary for Development Bernadette Linn on Wednesday ordered all Hong Kong buildings undergoing major maintenance to remove their netting by Saturday.</p><p>Police earlier arrested a total of 15 people, including construction company bosses, on suspicion of manslaughter.</p><p>A further six have been arrested on a different charge, over the estate&#x27;s fire alarms which malfunctioned at the time of the blaze, police said.</p><div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/12/2/all-filipinos-working-in-wang-fuk-court-now-accounted-for-after-deadly-fire-ph-consulate-1801">READ: All Filipinos working in Wang Fuk Court now accounted for after deadly fire - PH Consulate</a></div><div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/lifestyle/2025/12/2/hong-kong-disneyland-to-donate-to-fire-relief-efforts-1119">READ: Hong Kong Disneyland to donate to fire relief efforts</a></div><div><br/></div><div><strong>- &#x27;No place to hide&#x27; -</strong></div><div><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/dhGQOLX4-FM?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><br/></div><p>As well as the outpouring of grief, the disaster has led to calls for accountability and reform.</p><p>City leader John Lee has warned against crimes that &quot;exploit the tragedy&quot;.</p><p>Beijing&#x27;s national security arm in Hong Kong on Wednesday condemned &quot;external hostile forces (that) have seized upon the disaster to stir up trouble and incite chaos&quot;.</p><p>&quot;All acts and words aimed at destabilising Hong Kong will be recorded and pursued for life,&quot; the Office for Safeguarding National Security wrote in a statement.</p><p>&quot;All conspiracies to disrupt Hong Kong will have no place to hide and will be thoroughly extinguished.&quot;</p><p>Local media reported over the weekend that three people, including 24-year-old student Miles Kwan and former district councillor Kenneth Cheung, had been arrested for sedition.</p><p>Both men were later seen leaving police stations.</p><p>A student union-run notice board at Hong Kong Baptist University -- nicknamed a &quot;democracy wall&quot; -- was blocked off on Wednesday, an AFP reporter saw.</p><p>The message stuck to the board, which remained visible behind tall barricades, read: &quot;We are Hongkongers. Urge the government to respond to public demands so justice can be done.&quot;</p><p>AFP has contacted the university for comment.</p>

<p>The death toll from Hong Kong's worst fire in decades rose to 159 after all affected housing blocks were searched, police said Wednesday, cautioning that the figure may not be final.</p>

The death toll from Hong Kong's worst fire in decades rose to 159 after all affected housing blocks were searched, police said Wednesday, cautioning that the figure may not be final.

Hong Kong fire death toll hits 159 after towers searched

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Hong Kong fire death toll hits 159 after towers searched

Holmes Chan,

Agence France-Presse

Published Dec 04, 2025 01:54 AM PHT

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Hong Kong

Hong Kong fire

Wang Fuk Court

Tai Po

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