Hong Kong Fire Death Toll Rises to 151 as Beijing Warns Against Protests

The fire has also sparked tension after police briefly detained a student who circulated flyers demanding an independent investigation and greater oversight.
Published: 12/1/2025, 9:01:42 AM EST

Hong Kong authorities on Monday detailed a probe into the city's deadliest fire in decades, pointing to substandard renovation materials for fuelling a blaze that has claimed at least 151 lives.

Police continued to sweep the seven towers engulfed in Wednesday's disaster at the Wang Fuk Court estate, finding bodies of residents in stairwells and on rooftops, trapped as they tried to flee the flames. More than 40 people are still missing.

The fire has also sparked tension after police briefly detained a student who circulated flyers demanding an independent investigation and greater oversight.

The Chinese Communist Party's national security office warned individuals against reigniting what they call “political chaos,” referring to the large-scale pro-democracy protests in Hong Kong in 2019.