The police announced today, Sunday (11/30/2025), that the death toll from the huge fire that destroyed a skyscraper residential complex in Hong Kong this week had risen to 146 people.
“We cannot rule out the possibility of more deaths,” actor Cang Shuk-yin announced at a press conference.
The death toll was updated after examining three more of the eight towers that make up the Wang Fook Court residential complex in the Tai Po district.
The fire broke out on Wednesday afternoon for reasons that are still unknown, apparently in the protection nets that covered the complex’s renovation works and were used to protect against dust and falling objects.
The fire quickly spread to other towers, which are preferred by nets, foam boards and bamboo used in Hong Kong instead of metal for scaffolding, according to early hypotheses.
Hong Kong will observe an official day of mourning this Sunday, with the national and special administrative region’s flags at all public buildings until Monday.
At least 1,000 citizens laid flowers and left messages of condolence at the site of the tragedy and on improvised altars.
P AFP/Reuters/Efe