Miracle rescue: Survivor pulled from gutted Hong Kong building after 24 hrs; toll rises to 65

A man trapped for more than 24 hours inside one of the high-rise towers at Hong Kong’s Wang Fuk Court residential complex was pulled out alive on Thursday evening, even as the death toll from the devastating blaze climbed to at least 65, fire officials said.

The survivor was located on the 16th floor of Wang Tai House, one of the buildings inside the complex, according to a fire department update released at 8 pm local time. Seventy others have been reported injured, including 10 firefighters, while one firefighter is among the dead.


Also read: Hong Kong fire tragedy - Toll rises to 65, flames still visible on Day 2, 3 suspects held for manslaughter

The rescue came as emergency crews continued to battle a fire of scale and intensity unseen in Hong Kong in decades. While parts of the complex have been brought under control, teams on the ground say the risk of collapse and extreme heat inside the structures has slowed efforts to reach those still missing or stranded.

Hong Kong government deploys social workers and psychologists to affected families

In response to the mounting casualties and rising trauma among survivors, Hong Kong Chief Executive John Lee announced the rollout of a “one social worker per household” system to support families affected by the disaster. The administration will also deploy psychologists to help provide emotional assistance. These measures, he said, are intended to help residents cope with loss, displacement and prolonged uncertainty as the rescue operation continues.

Aftermath and emergency response: Row after row of charred towers

More than a day after the blaze first broke out, thick smoke continued to drift from the remains of multiple high-rise blocks inside Wang Fuk Court. Fire officials confirmed that the flames have been extinguished in four towers, while three more remain under control. Despite progress, emergency teams are navigating dangerous structural conditions, collapsed scaffolding and intense heat pockets that make deep-entry rescue both slow and hazardous.

The scale of the crisis has required more than 1,200 firefighters, marking what authorities say is the deadliest building fire in Hong Kong in over 50 years. Residents who managed to escape described chaotic scenes with flames racing vertically up the building exteriors, leaving many trapped inside units without alarm or warning.

Cause of fire still uncertain, but construction negligence suspected

Authorities continue to investigate what allowed the blaze to spread so rapidly across multiple residential towers. The fire began around 2.50 pm Wednesday before racing up the structure, aided by bamboo scaffolding that wrapped the exterior for ongoing construction.

Police announced Thursday that two directors of a construction company and a consultant have been arrested on suspicion of manslaughter. Senior police superintendent Lai Yee Chung said foam boards known to be highly flammable had been installed on every floor outside elevator lobbies. Authorities believe the use of such material may amount to “gross negligence.”

Community grief deepens as search continues

The Wang Fuk Court complex, constructed in the early 1980s, houses roughly 2,000 apartments. With dozens still missing, families spent Thursday scanning photographs of the deceased displayed at shelters set up by city authorities.

Temporary accommodation has been opened in community centres and a nearby school, giving hundreds of displaced residents a place to sleep as the fire response continues. Many among them say warnings never reached their units and they escaped only because they spotted the blaze themselves.

Bamboo scaffolding under scrutiny again

The tragedy has renewed debate over Hong Kong’s widespread use of bamboo scaffolding, a construction practice that authorities last year vowed to phase out in favour of steel. In October, fire officials linked another major blaze in the city’s Central district to bamboo frames that fuelled rapid flame spread. The Wang Fuk Court disaster is now expected to accelerate regulatory changes already underway.

Longest and deadliest rescue in decades — and not yet over

More than two dozen people remain missing, officials said late Thursday. Firefighters continue to work floor by floor, often moving only metres at a time as temperatures inside some units remain dangerously high. Equipment limitations have slowed access to upper floors; ladder trucks have only been able to reach half the height of the 32-story towers, far below the level where residents are believed to be trapped.

As rescue teams search for survivors and families prepare for news that may still worsen, Thursday’s dramatic extraction of a man from the 16th floor stands as the first major moment of hope in a catastrophe defined by loss.

The survivor is stable, officials said. For others, the wait continues.