# At least 36 killed in Hong Kong fire with 279 still missing **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [November 26, 2025, 7:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/at-least-36-killed-in-hong-kong-fire-with-279-still-missing/1025162 "2025-11-26T19:24:33Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Projammer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/projammer/32/559_2.png) [@Projammer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Projammer)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2025, 7:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/at-least-36-killed-in-hong-kong-fire-with-279-still-missing/1025162/1 "2025-11-26T19:24:33Z")
[BBC](https://www.bbc.com/news/live/c2emg1kj1klt) The video is horrifying. When I first saw I hoped like hell it was AI. But no, just heartbreaking. ---
**Author:** ![Darren\_Garrison](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/darren_garrison/32/92_2.png) [@Darren\_Garrison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darren_Garrison)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2025, 9:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/at-least-36-killed-in-hong-kong-fire-with-279-still-missing/1025162/2 "2025-11-26T21:42:26Z")
Coating your buildings with bamboo and plastic has drawbacks. [https://www.reuters.com/world/china/hong-kong-inferno-puts-spotlight-risky-bamboo-scaffolding-2025-11-26/](https://www.reuters.com/world/china/hong-kong-inferno-puts-spotlight-risky-bamboo-scaffolding-2025-11-26/) ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2025, 12:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/at-least-36-killed-in-hong-kong-fire-with-279-still-missing/1025162/3 "2025-11-27T00:55:23Z")
> [@Darren\_Garrison](#): > > Coating your buildings with bamboo Ah. That explains a lot. I saw a picture and figured it had to have been arson on a grand scale. But I guess I can see how they would all go up if they are sheathed in firewood. ---
**Author:** ![PastTense](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pasttense/32/14550_2.png) [@PastTense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PastTense)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2025, 12:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/at-least-36-killed-in-hong-kong-fire-with-279-still-missing/1025162/4 "2025-11-28T00:17:32Z")
Unfortunately vastly more dead than the OP initial reports. > **[At least 94 dead as Hong Kong firefighters battle burning towers for a second...](https://apnews.com/article/hong-kong-tai-po-wang-fuk-court-fire-d3da6740dd2c90f08d28dcd889db0c30)** > > Firefighters in Hong Kong have been battling a deadly blaze at a high-rise apartment complex for a second day. ---
**Author:** ![nearwildheaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/90db22/32.png) [@nearwildheaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nearwildheaven)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2025, 6:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/at-least-36-killed-in-hong-kong-fire-with-279-still-missing/1025162/5 "2025-11-28T06:18:09Z")
I saw on another site that the fire started around 3:30PM, when most residents were at work or school, or were awake and could get themselves out. However, that it spread so readily from one building to the next is just bizarre, even if the scaffolding was made of bamboo. ---
**Author:** ![Darren\_Garrison](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/darren_garrison/32/92_2.png) [@Darren\_Garrison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darren_Garrison)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2025, 6:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/at-least-36-killed-in-hong-kong-fire-with-279-still-missing/1025162/6 "2025-11-28T06:26:55Z")
If it was just bamboo I suspect it woud be hard for the fire to spread far, but that bamboo was covered in sheets of plastic, which would have been profoundly flammable. ---
**Author:** ![Velocity](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/velocity/32/18006_2.png) [@Velocity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velocity)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2025, 6:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/at-least-36-killed-in-hong-kong-fire-with-279-still-missing/1025162/7 "2025-11-28T06:27:50Z")
Probably a good bet that nearly all of the 279 missing are actually dead, and we’ll be looking at a death toll in total of \>300. ---
**Author:** ![PastTense](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pasttense/32/14550_2.png) [@PastTense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PastTense)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2025, 8:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/at-least-36-killed-in-hong-kong-fire-with-279-still-missing/1025162/8 "2025-11-28T08:06:02Z")
No, Velocity, remember all the major disasters we have been discussing the last few years–from Maui to the Texas floods to the various California wildfires. They all had huge number of missing and the overwhelming majority of the missing turned up because they were being double or triple counted or they hadn’t bothered to contact authorities or whatever. For example Maui peaked at 3200 missing–and final death toll 102. Campfire fire had over 1200 missing with final death toll 85, Katrina had 13,000 missing with final death toll of 1800. ---
**Author:** ![Ancient\_Nerd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ed655f/32.png) [@Ancient\_Nerd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ancient_Nerd)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2025, 8:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/at-least-36-killed-in-hong-kong-fire-with-279-still-missing/1025162/9 "2025-11-28T08:23:47Z")
Serious building codes taken seriously can make a big difference in situations like this. ---
**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2025, 1:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/at-least-36-killed-in-hong-kong-fire-with-279-still-missing/1025162/10 "2025-11-28T13:43:26Z")
Latest reporting I heard/saw had at least 10 people from the construction company arrested so it sounds like there could have been violations and the authorities are certainly taking this seriously _now…_ The arrested include project managers so not entirely the peon-level fall guys but maybe some folks higher up in the company(s) involved. Other reporting, with the caveat information may change rapidly over the next few days. The fire alarm systems for the buildings may not have been functional. In addition to the already mentioned bamboo scaffolding and the plastic safety netting, apparently polystyrene boards were being used to block windows in the work areas (I’m _guessing_ to protect the glass). When it comes to fire polystyrene is basically fuel in solid form. It burns hot, which resulted in windows shattering from heat which then allowed the fire into the interior of the buildings. Some residents also reported workers leaving their cigarette butts on window sills. Make of that what you will. ---
**Author:** ![FairyChatMom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fairychatmom/32/21825_2.png) [@FairyChatMom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FairyChatMom)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2025, 2:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/at-least-36-killed-in-hong-kong-fire-with-279-still-missing/1025162/11 "2025-11-28T14:36:17Z")
I don’t know if the buildings has sprinklers, but from the videos I saw, I don’t think that would have made much difference. What a horrific tragedy! ---
**Author:** ![PastTense](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pasttense/32/14550_2.png) [@PastTense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PastTense)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2025, 3:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/at-least-36-killed-in-hong-kong-fire-with-279-still-missing/1025162/12 "2025-11-28T15:01:12Z")
> **[Death toll rises to 128 in Hong Kong residential fire; 8 more arrested over...](https://apnews.com/article/hong-kong-tai-po-wang-fuk-court-fire-a84627d7f3ee62050c36a9aa3218205c)** > > Hong Kong firefighters have found dozens more bodies in a high-rise complex after a massive fire engulfed seven buildings. ---
**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2025, 4:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/at-least-36-killed-in-hong-kong-fire-with-279-still-missing/1025162/13 "2025-11-28T16:55:42Z")
Does this remind anyone else of the [Grenfell Tower fire](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grenfell_Tower_fire) in London back in 2017? Certainly there are some differences, but in both cases what was on the outside of the building(s) made the situation so much worse than it might have been otherwise. ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2025, 5:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/at-least-36-killed-in-hong-kong-fire-with-279-still-missing/1025162/14 "2025-11-28T17:03:02Z")
> [@Broomstick](#): > > Latest reporting I heard/saw had at least 10 people from the construction company arrested so it sounds like there could have been violations and the authorities are certainly taking this seriously _now…_ The arrested include project managers so not entirely the peon-level fall guys but maybe some folks higher up in the company(s) involved. Remembering that Hong Kong is now ruled by the Chinese Communists, they’re going to make quite a show of arresting _somebody_. Good bet nothing about building industry compliance or politically well-connected tycoons is going to change. ---
**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2025, 5:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/at-least-36-killed-in-hong-kong-fire-with-279-still-missing/1025162/15 "2025-11-28T17:05:47Z")
As opposed to what (did not) happen in London? ---
**Author:** ![PastTense](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pasttense/32/14550_2.png) [@PastTense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PastTense)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2025, 4:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/at-least-36-killed-in-hong-kong-fire-with-279-still-missing/1025162/16 "2025-11-30T16:59:57Z")
And now: > **[Death toll rises to 146 in Hong Kong apartment fire: "A wake-up call for...](https://www.cbsnews.com/news/hong-kong-fire-death-toll-search-wang-fuk-court/)** > > Preliminary investigations showed the fire started Wednesday afternoon on a lower-level scaffolding net of one of the buildings, and then spread rapidly inside as the foam panels caught fire and blew out windows. > So far the team has examined four of the seven blocks, Cheng said. So maybe another 20-30 dead to be found? ---
**Author:** ![Filbert](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/filbert/32/3433_2.png) [@Filbert](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Filbert)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2025, 5:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/at-least-36-killed-in-hong-kong-fire-with-279-still-missing/1025162/17 "2025-11-30T17:05:27Z")
It’s not true that nothing’s happening in the UK following Grenfell! Lots of people suddenly recieved massive charges to remove the dangerous cladding on their buildings that they can’t afford to pay, _and_ huge insurance increases! That’s something, isn’t it? ---
**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2025, 10:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/at-least-36-killed-in-hong-kong-fire-with-279-still-missing/1025162/18 "2025-11-30T22:17:08Z")
Yes, but probably not in the direction any of the residents wanted. ---
**Author:** ![PastTense](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pasttense/32/14550_2.png) [@PastTense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PastTense)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2025, 4:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/at-least-36-killed-in-hong-kong-fire-with-279-still-missing/1025162/19 "2025-12-03T16:26:25Z")
> **[A 1-year-old was among 159 killed in Hong Kong apartment fires. 30 others...](https://apnews.com/article/hong-kong-tai-po-fire-highrise-a82446d3ade61c71c1915f29d89cb35c)** > > The death toll from a high-rise apartment fire in Hong Kong has risen to 159. Authorities arrested six people on suspicion of deactivating fire alarms during maintenance work. 30 others remain missing. ---
**Author:** ![PastTense](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pasttense/32/14550_2.png) [@PastTense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PastTense)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2025, 2:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/at-least-36-killed-in-hong-kong-fire-with-279-still-missing/1025162/20 "2025-12-27T02:02:36Z")
Does anyone have a gift link for this investigative report [A lot of corruption and incompetent government officials]: **What Went Wrong Before Hong Kong’s Apartment Inferno** : Records show how government departments played down residents’ warnings about corrupt practices and substandard materials that fueled the deadly blaze. [https://www.nytimes.com/2025/12/26/world/asia/hong-kong-apartment-fire-corruption.html](https://www.nytimes.com/2025/12/26/world/asia/hong-kong-apartment-fire-corruption.html) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/at-least-36-killed-in-hong-kong-fire-with-279-still-missing/1025162.md?page=2)