Hong Kong's Deadliest Blaze in Decades: At Least 36 Killed, 279 Missing in Tai Po High-Rise Inferno

Hong Kong, November 26, 2025 — A ferocious fire tore through a sprawling residential complex in Hong Kong's densely packed Tai Po district on Wednesday, claiming at least 36 lives—including a brave firefighter—and leaving 279 residents unaccounted for in what authorities are calling the city's worst high-rise disaster in three decades. The blaze, which engulfed seven towering blocks sheathed in highly flammable bamboo scaffolding, has cast a shadow over the bustling New Territories neighborhood, prompting urgent rescue efforts and swift vows of accountability from city leaders.

The inferno erupted around 2:30 p.m. local time at the Wang Fuk Court housing estate, a public housing complex home to roughly 4,800 people across 2,000 apartments in eight interconnected blocks. What began as a seemingly routine renovation fire—ignited amid widespread scaffolding work—quickly escalated into a five-alarm catastrophe, with flames leaping between structures like a chain reaction. Green mesh netting and bamboo poles, standard for construction in the city but now under intense scrutiny, fueled the rapid spread, trapping residents on upper floors as thick black smoke choked escape routes. Videos circulating on social media showed apocalyptic scenes: towering orange flames licking the sky, residents dangling from balconies in desperation, and sirens wailing through gridlocked streets.

Firefighters, numbering in the hundreds, battled the beast through the night, hampered by searing heat and structural collapse. By early Thursday, the flames were "coming under control," according to Hong Kong's Chief Executive John Lee, but progress remained agonizingly slow. "This tragedy has resulted in many casualties, including a firefighter who died in the line of duty," Lee said in a somber midnight news conference, his voice heavy with grief. "I express my deep sadness and condolences to the families of the dead and the injured." Among the confirmed dead is 37-year-old firefighter Wong Ka-lok, who succumbed while attempting a rescue on an upper floor; another colleague was treated for heat exhaustion.

At least 29 survivors were rushed to hospitals, with seven in critical condition from severe burns and smoke inhalation. Temporary shelters have sprung up across Tai Po to house the displaced, while sections of the vital Tai Po Road highway remain closed, snarling traffic and forcing six local schools to shutter on Thursday. The Education Bureau cited "traffic congestion and safety concerns" in its advisory, underscoring the blaze's ripple effects on daily life.

As dawn broke over the charred skeletons of the towers, questions mounted about how such a calamity could unfold in one of the world's most modern metropolises. Experts drew grim parallels to London's 2017 Grenfell Tower fire, where combustible cladding accelerated the disaster. "The scaffolding acted like a fuse," noted Peter Lau, a fire safety consultant not involved in the response, pointing to outdated regulations that permit bamboo—a cheap, traditional material—in high-density renovations. Hong Kong's Fire Services Department Director Andy Yeung confirmed investigators are probing the role of building materials, with preliminary reports suggesting the fire originated on a lower-floor worksite.

Chinese President Xi Jinping weighed in from Beijing, urging "all-out efforts to reduce casualties and provide full support to the affected families." The timing could not be more politically charged: With legislative elections looming in early December, the fire risks amplifying long-simmering frustrations over sky-high housing costs and lax safety oversight in the semi-autonomous city. A public inquiry is already in the works, promising "sweeping updates" to fire codes for high-rises—echoing reforms after a 2008 blaze that killed four.

For now, amid the acrid haze and flickering emergency lights, Tai Po's resilient community clings to hope. Rescue teams continue combing the ruins, while families huddle in makeshift aid centers, scanning lists for loved ones. "We pray for miracles," one evacuee told reporters, clutching a singed family photo. In a city of gleaming towers and hidden vulnerabilities, this inferno serves as a stark reminder: Even in the shadows of progress, fire waits for no one. Updates are expected as the missing count evolves and investigations deepen. 17GEN4.com

Hong Kong