Hong Kong high-rise fire death toll reaches 128 as focus turns to faulty alarms and scaffolding materials

The death toll from the devastating fire at Wang Fuk Court in Hong Kong’s Tai Po district has risen to 128, as officials confirm the fire alarms in all eight residential towers “were not working effectively.”

The days-long blaze, which tore through seven high-rise apartment blocks in one of the city’s worst modern disasters, has left families searching desperately for missing loved ones while investigators begin a major criminal inquiry.

On Saturday, the Kwong Fuk Community Hall opened its doors for a second day to assist families with identification efforts. From early morning, relatives were handed photo albums containing images of recovered bodies, hoping to find matches among the 89 victims who remain unidentified. Police guarded the entrance as crowds gathered, and a lone woman recited Buddhist prayers for the dead and the living.

Authorities say dozens remain missing, including 19 Filipino and 11 Indonesian domestic workers.

Mission For Migrant Workers, a local charity, estimates that 119 Indonesians and 82 Filipinos lived or worked in the affected towers. The group says it has already confirmed the deaths of two Indonesian women.

As investigators probe the cause of the fire, attention has shifted to construction materials surrounding the buildings — including Hong Kong’s iconic bamboo scaffolding. Fire officials say they discovered mesh netting, plastic sheets, canvas, and “extremely flammable” Styrofoam boards covering some apartment windows. Experts told the BBC that these materials may have contributed to the fire spreading at extraordinary speed.

Online, however, Hong Kongers have rushed to defend bamboo scaffolding, sharing videos demonstrating its fire resistance while highlighting the far greater flammability of construction netting. The debate comes as Chief Executive John Lee announced that the government is considering phasing out bamboo scaffolding entirely in favour of steel frameworks.

The fire erupted at 14:51 local time on Wednesday, engulfing the massive housing estate of 4,600 residents. Authorities confirmed that 79 people were injured, three individuals responsible for renovation works have been arrested on suspicion of manslaughter, and a separate corruption probe is underway. Police say construction managers may have been “grossly negligent.”

Police and fire authorities will enter the buildings today to gather evidence, wearing personal protective equipment due to safety concerns. DNA sampling will be used to help identify bodies, while government support schemes are being arranged for displaced families.

The investigation is expected to take several weeks.