As the deadly residential fire in Hong Kong enters its third day, the confirmed death toll has surged to 94, with 76 others injured, including 11 firefighters. Emergency crews continue to comb through scorched apartment buildings, responding to 25 unresolved distress calls.

In the early hours of November 28, Deputy Fire Services Director Derek Armstrong Chan announced that firefighters were breaking down doors to inspect every single apartment unit. Water is still being sprayed into charred units to prevent flare-ups before 9 a.m. local time. According to Chan, most of the victims’ bodies were recovered from Wang Cheong House and Wang Tai House, where the blaze raged most fiercely. However, some survivors were also found in other buildings.

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By 7 a.m., daylight revealed more bodies being carried out from the blackened remains. Rescue teams used flashlights to search inside pitch-black apartments that had lost all windows. In some upper floors, smoldering flames still persisted, requiring fire ladders and water cannons to suppress the heat.

Initial investigations revealed that highly flammable styrofoam had been used to seal elevator shafts on every floor likely a key factor in the fire’s rapid spread down the corridors into individual units. The building’s exterior was also covered in non-compliant safety mesh and green scaffolding wrap, which helped the fire climb the façade within minutes.

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Following hours of inspections, authorities confirmed that improper materials supplied by the renovation subcontractor significantly contributed to the uncontrollable blaze.

Three individuals two directors and one advisor from the renovation contractor—have been arrested on manslaughter charges, accused of using unauthorized materials and sealing windows with flammable foam.

The fire was first reported at 2:51 p.m. on November 26. Within seconds, the bamboo scaffolding outside several buildings ignited, transforming into pillars of flame. Burning green mesh rained down from the sky as the fire spread rapidly across seven out of eight apartment towers, trapping hundreds of residents. Plumes of thick black smoke blanketed the neighborhood in chaos.

The incident has sparked public outrage and renewed scrutiny of construction safety standards and enforcement in Hong Kong’s densely populated urban areas. With rescue operations still ongoing, the city mourns what is now one of the deadliest residential fires in Hong Kong’s modern history.

Sources: K14