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A devastating inferno tore through a high-rise residential complex in Wang Fuk Court, located in the Tai Po district of Hong Kong’s New Territories, on Wednesday afternoon — a blaze now confirmed as one of the deadliest in the city’s recent history.
Eyewitnesses say the fire erupted at approximately 2:51 p.m. local time. Flames rapidly engulfed the complex — which comprises eight tall residential towers housing nearly 4,800 people — aided by bamboo scaffolding and construction netting that surrounded several of the buildings undergoing renovation.
By the early hours of Thursday, officials confirmed at least 36 people dead, including one of the firefighters engaged in rescue operations, and nearly 300 residents unaccounted for, many feared trapped in the charred ruins. As of reporting, about 29 others remain hospitalised, several in serious condition.
Authorities raised the alarm to a “level 5” — the highest fire-emergency classification — and deployed hundreds of firefighters, dozens of fire engines, multiple ambulances and police units to battle the blaze, carry out evacuations, and launch a full-scale rescue mission.
Residents described scenes of chaos and horror: thick black smoke pouring from windows across multiple floors, tenants shouting for help, and stairwells choked with smoke and debris as people scrambled to escape. One resident recalled the fire “raced up the scaffolding like a giant torch. Throughout the night, emergency shelters were opened for evacuees, while police and fire-service investigators began probing the cause of the blaze.
Local officials, including John Lee (Hong Kong Chief Executive), expressed deep sorrow, vowing government support for victims’ families and a thorough investigation into the tragedy. Meanwhile, the scale of destruction and the high number of missing persons have sparked widespread shock across Hong Kong and beyond, fueling renewed scrutiny of building-safety standards — particularly the continued use of bamboo scaffolding and flammable netting in renovation projects.
Why This Fire Matters — And What’s at Stake
- The death toll and missing count make this fire among Hong Kong’s deadliest residential disasters in decades.
- The disaster underscores persistent safety risks associated with traditional building-methods (like bamboo scaffolding) used in modern renovations — a structural hazard that many advocates have long warned about.
- With hundreds displaced, families traumatised, and many unaccounted for, the human cost is enormous — and recovery efforts will likely be long and complex.
Dalena Reporters will continue to follow this story closely, tracking rescue updates, confirmation of missing persons, and the findings of ongoing safety investigations.