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Deadliest Hong Kong Fire: Toll Reaches 161
20 Dec, 2025
Summary
- Hong Kong fire death toll increased to 161 after DNA identification.
- The fire originated in the Tai Po neighborhood's Wang Fuk Court complex.
- This blaze is the deadliest residential building fire in Hong Kong history.
The number of fatalities from a devastating fire in Hong Kong on November 26 has now reached 161. Forensic tests identified DNA from another individual within the burned remains, confirming this tragic increase. Police officials indicated that DNA testing remains ongoing, and they do not rule out discovering additional deceased individuals.
The fire originated at the Wang Fuk Court complex in the Tai Po neighborhood, affecting seven of its eight high-rise buildings. Bamboo scaffolding, installed for cosmetic refurbishments, significantly contributed to the rapid spread of the blaze across the complex, which houses approximately 2,000 apartments and around 4,000 residents.
This incident marks the deadliest residential building fire in Hong Kong's history, surpassing the 1996 Garley Building fire that claimed 41 lives. While other historical fires, like the 1918 Happy Valley Racecourse incident and the 1948 Des Voeux Road West blaze, resulted in higher overall death tolls, this recent event is the most lethal specifically for a residential building.
