Devastating Hong Kong Tower Fire Claims at Least 13 Lives in City's Worst Blaze in Decades
A catastrophic fire ripped through multiple high-rise apartment buildings in Hong Kong's Tai Po district on Wednesday, November 26, 2025, killing at least 13 people and leaving an unknown number of residents still missing. The inferno, which engulfed the Wang Fuk Court housing estate, has been classified as the deadliest fire in Hong Kong since 1996, prompting the city's highest emergency response level and raising urgent questions about construction safety practices.
Hong Kong tower fire engulfs Wang Fuk Court residential complex
The Outbreak of the Blaze
The Hong Kong Fire Services Department received emergency reports at 2:51 p.m. local time alerting them to a fire at Wang Fuk Court, a major residential complex in the northeastern New Territories region. What initially appeared manageable quickly spiraled out of control, with firefighters arriving just five minutes after the initial call only to discover flames already spreading between structures.
The emergency classification escalated with alarming speed. Within 40 minutes of the first alert, authorities raised the alarm level to No. 4, and by 6:22 p.m., the fire reached No. 5 status—the highest severity classification in Hong Kong's emergency system. This marks only the second time since Hong Kong's 1997 handover that authorities have declared a level five fire, the previous occurrence being the Cornwall Court blaze in Mong Kok in 2008 that killed four people.
Wang Fuk Court: A Vulnerable Housing Complex
Wang Fuk Court stands as one of Hong Kong's many dense residential developments, comprising eight tower blocks, each rising 31 stories and containing nearly 2,000 apartments that house approximately 4,600 residents. Built in 1983 as part of the government's subsidized home ownership initiative, the complex represents the type of aging public housing that dominates much of Hong Kong's landscape.
At the time of the fire, the 41-year-old estate was undergoing extensive renovations. In January 2024, the management corporation approved an ambitious HK$330 million repair plan that would involve completely rebuilding the exterior walls. All eight buildings were consequently wrapped entirely in bamboo scaffolding and green construction netting extending from ground level to the rooftops.
This scaffolding would prove to be the fire's deadly accelerant. Video footage captured by witnesses and news crews showed flames racing with terrifying speed across the bamboo structures, which encased the buildings in tightly-bound layers of poles and protective netting. The dry weather conditions and a red fire warning issued by the Hong Kong Observatory that day created an environment particularly conducive to rapid fire spread.
The Human Toll
The death toll climbed steadily throughout the evening as the enormity of the disaster became clear. As of Wednesday night, authorities confirmed 13 fatalities, with nine individuals pronounced dead at the scene and four others succumbing to their injuries after being transported to hospitals. At least 15 people sustained injuries, including six in critical condition from severe burns.
Among the dead was 37-year-old firefighter Ho Wai-ho, a nine-year veteran attached to the Sha Tin Fire Station. Contact with Ho was lost at approximately 3:30 p.m. during rescue operations, and he was found collapsed at the scene about 30 minutes later. He was rushed to Prince of Wales Hospital but was declared dead at 4:41 p.m.
Fire Services Director Andy Yeung paid tribute to his fallen colleague, stating, "Having been a member of the Fire Services Department for about nine years, Mr Ho's performance was valiant. I am profoundly grieved at the loss of this dedicated and gallant fireman."
The situation remains fluid and potentially far worse than current figures suggest. Police reported receiving multiple emergency calls from residents trapped inside the buildings, and local authorities indicated that at least 200 people may still be unaccounted for as of Wednesday evening.
Emergency responders battle the devastating Wang Fuk Court blaze
Massive Emergency Response
The scale of the emergency response reflects the gravity of the situation. Hong Kong authorities mobilized an unprecedented deployment of resources, with 767 firefighters, 128 fire trucks, 57 ambulances, and approximately 400 police officers dispatched to combat the inferno and conduct rescue operations.
However, firefighters faced extraordinary challenges. Deputy Director of Fire Services Derek Armstrong Chan explained that extreme temperatures inside the towers made it nearly impossible to access upper floors where residents remained trapped. "Debris and scaffolding from the affected buildings are collapsing, creating additional risks for our frontline personnel," Chan stated during a press briefing.
The fire trucks' ladders could only reach approximately halfway up the 32-story structures, leaving the highest flames well above the water being deployed. Strong winds further complicated containment efforts, fanning the flames and causing the blaze to spread to seven of the complex's eight blocks by nightfall.
As darkness fell, images revealed the fire persisting with bright flames engulfing multiple tower blocks simultaneously. The fire service expressed uncertainty about when they would achieve full containment, with some residents fearing the blaze could continue burning throughout the night.
Evacuation and Emergency Shelters
Authorities evacuated surrounding buildings beyond the Wang Fuk Court complex as a precaution against the spreading fire. Over a thousand residents were displaced and directed to temporary shelters established at multiple locations throughout Tai Po, including Kwong Fuk Community Hall, Tung Cheong Street Community Hall, Tai Po Community Centre, Fu Shan Community Hall, and the Chinese Christian Church's Fung Leung Kit Memorial Secondary School.
The shelters quickly filled with traumatized residents, many of them elderly. BBC reporters observed individuals arriving at shelters using walking aids and wheelchairs, reflecting the demographic reality of Hong Kong's aging public housing estates. The South China Morning Post reported that one shelter at Tung Cheong Street Sports Centre reached capacity, forcing authorities to redirect additional evacuees to alternate locations.
Witnesses described scenes of profound distress outside the burning complex. A 71-year-old resident surnamed Wong broke down in tears while explaining that his wife remained trapped inside one of the buildings. Another resident, 57-year-old So, told AFP, "There's nothing that can be done about the property. I can only hope that everyone, no matter old or young, can return safely. It's heartbreaking. We're worried there are people inside."
Government Response and International Reaction
Hong Kong Chief Executive John Lee convened an emergency meeting Wednesday evening and subsequently visited one of the temporary shelters to meet with displaced residents. "All government departments are fully assisting residents affected by the fire, prioritising the safety and well-being of the public," the government stated.
Security Secretary Tang Ping-keung confirmed the activation of the Emergency Accident Monitoring and Support Centre to coordinate the response. Police established a hotline (+852 1878 999) for public inquiries about casualties and missing persons.
The disaster drew international attention, including from Chinese President Xi Jinping, who expressed condolences to the victims' families and urged a comprehensive effort to extinguish the flames and minimize casualties, according to China's central television.
Scrutiny of Bamboo Scaffolding
The fire has intensified debate over Hong Kong's traditional use of bamboo scaffolding, which remains ubiquitous across the city's dense skyline despite growing safety concerns. Hong Kong stands as one of the few places globally where bamboo continues to be extensively utilized in modern construction, prized for its rapid growth, lightweight nature, flexibility, and strength.
However, authorities have increasingly questioned its safety profile. In March 2025, the government's Development Bureau mandated that 50 percent of new public building projects must use metal scaffolding instead, citing the need to "better protect workers" and align with practices in "advanced cities."
Bureau spokesperson Terence Lam had previously highlighted bamboo scaffolding's "intrinsic weaknesses such as variation in mechanical properties, deterioration over time and high combustibility," raising concerns about its continued suitability. Between January 2018 and August 2025, at least 24 deaths were linked to bamboo scaffolding accidents in Hong Kong, according to Labour Department statistics.
Wednesday's disaster represents the second major fire involving bamboo scaffolding in Hong Kong in under two months. In mid-October, a significant fire erupted at a tall building in the Central business district, with authorities determining that a cigarette butt likely ignited the scaffolding surrounding the structure. While that incident caused no fatalities, four people required hospitalization.
A City in Mourning
As Hong Kong grapples with its worst fire in nearly three decades, the Wang Fuk Court tragedy has exposed vulnerabilities in the city's aging housing infrastructure and raised difficult questions about balancing traditional construction practices with modern safety requirements.
The last fire of comparable magnitude occurred in 1996 when the Garley Building blaze in Kowloon killed 41 people and injured 81. That disaster led to sweeping updates to building safety standards, and many observers expect Wednesday's catastrophe will similarly prompt regulatory reform.
For now, hundreds of firefighters continue battling persistent flames while search and rescue teams work to locate those still missing. Thousands of displaced residents wait in temporary shelters, uncertain when—or whether—they will be able to return to their homes. And across Hong Kong, a community mourns the loss of neighbors, family members, and a brave firefighter who gave his life attempting to save others.
The investigation into the fire's origin remains ongoing. While the cause has not been officially determined, the rapid spread through bamboo scaffolding and construction materials will undoubtedly be central to any inquiry. For many Hong Kong residents, the images of their city's towers engulfed in flames will serve as a somber reminder of the risks inherent in one of the world's most densely populated urban environments.