At least 44 people are dead and over 270 residents remain missing
Bamboo scaffolding and flammable renovation waste fuelled the fire’s rapid spread.
More than 900 people have taken shelter as investigations continue.
At least 44 people, including a 37-year-old firefighter, have died after a massive blaze swept through a high-rise housing complex in Hong Kong’s Tai Po district on Wednesday, November 26, 2025. More than 270 residents remain unaccounted for, and dozens are being treated in hospitals. Officials have described the incident as one of the worst residential fires the city has faced in decades.
The fire broke out at 2:51 pm at the Wang Fuk Court estate and quickly engulfed seven of the eight residential towers, all of which were wrapped in bamboo scaffolding for ongoing renovation work. The estate contains nearly 2,000 apartments and houses around 4,800 residents, including many elderly people.
Police said flammable packaging and materials left behind during maintenance work allowed the flames to “spread rapidly beyond control.” Three men have been arrested in connection with the incident.
Firefighters battled the blaze through the night, deploying around 200 fire engines and more than 100 ambulances, according to local reports. Crews faced major challenges reaching the upper floors due to falling debris, extreme heat, and burning scaffold mesh collapsing from the exterior of the towers.
Authorities noted that the buildings were surrounded by bamboo scaffolding, a traditional construction method still widely used in Hong Kong. The government had already been reviewing its safety risks following 22 scaffolding-related deaths between 2019 and 2024.
Hong Kong Chief Executive John Lee said more than 900 residents had taken refuge in temporary shelters and assured the public that a full investigation would follow. Speaking at an early morning briefing, he said: “The top priority is to extinguish the fire and rescue people. Second is to support the injured. Third is recovery. After that, we will launch a thorough investigation.”
State media reported that Chinese President Xi Jinping called for all-out efforts to reduce casualties and losses, offering condolences to the families of those killed and the hundreds still missing.
By Thursday morning, authorities said firefighters had brought four of the burning towers under control, while three others continued to burn at reduced intensity as search and rescue operations continued.
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