Hong Kong's Deadliest Fire in Decades Claims 36 Lives, 279 Missing as Three Arrested for Manslaughter

Nov 27, 2025 09:46 am CST

A devastating fire in Hong Kong's Tai Po district has claimed at least 36 lives with 279 people still missing as rescue operations continue. Three suspects have been arrested on suspicion of manslaughter as investigators examine the rapid spread of flames across seven buildings in a housing complex undergoing renovations. The fire, which began on external scaffolding and spread to multiple high-rise buildings, represents Hong Kong's deadliest blaze in decades.