Hong Kong High-Rise Fire Death Toll Climbs to 128, With Up to 200 Still Missing. The catastrophic fire at Hong Kong’s Wang Fuk Court has killed at least 128 people, with officials warning the toll may rise as up to 200 residents remain unaccounted for. Firefighters finally brought the blaze under control 42 hours after it ignited, making it the city’s deadliest fire in decades. At least 79 people were injured as flames tore through multiple towers in the Tai Po public housing estate. Security Secretary Chris Tang says some missing individuals may be among unidentified bodies recovered from the scene. The fire is believed to have started on the lower floors of Wang Cheong House, one of eight towers undergoing renovations and wrapped in bamboo scaffolding and green mesh. Burning polystyrene boards and collapsing scaffolding helped fuel the spread of the inferno from tower to tower, with interior temperatures soaring above 500°C. Fire alarms in all eight buildings were found “not functional” during post-blaze inspections, raising urgent questions about safety oversight. Survivors and displaced residents, many now in temporary shelters, are demanding answers as investigators begin a weeks-long probe into how the disaster escalated so rapidly.