Massive Fire Breaks Out in Hong Kong’s Wang Fuk Court

A significant fire erupted on Wednesday at the Wang Fuk Court residential complex located in Hong Kong’s Tai Po district, affecting seven high-rise apartment buildings that were undergoing renovations and surrounded by flammable bamboo scaffolding.

This is now considered Hong Kong’s most deadly fire in thirty years. Officials mentioned that the rapid spread of the fire was due to the involved materials, which created intense heat and smoke that complicated rescue efforts. The flames spread quickly over the bamboo scaffolding and construction nets, both in use during the renovation.

As of now, the cause of the fire remains unclear.

Prior to this incident, the Hong Kong government had planned to eliminate bamboo scaffolding from public projects due to fire-safety issues. Experts suggest that steel scaffolding, which is utilized in many other places, is a lighter and safer alternative that can be set up more efficiently.

Hong Kong Chief Executive John Lee reported in a press briefing early Wednesday that at least 36 people had died, including a firefighter. Additionally, 29 others were hospitalized, with seven in critical condition, and about 279 individuals are unaccounted for.

The fallen firefighter, identified as Ho Wai-ho from the Sha Tin Fire Station, was 37 years old and had nine years of service.

Firefighters have been working through the night, battling the flames and searching for survivors in a complex housing around 4,800 residents in nearly 2,000 apartments.

Many residents have evacuated to temporary shelters, and a help desk along with a hotline has been established for those impacted.

Former Tai Po district councilor Herman Yiu Kwan-ho informed a local media outlet that at least 13 individuals—most of whom were elderly residents, including two infants—were trapped within the buildings. Rescue efforts faced challenges from the overwhelming heat and smoke.

Footage showed firefighters valiantly battling the blaze, using powerful hoses even as flames leapt toward nearby towers. More than 180 fire engines and 57 ambulances were dispatched, marking one of Hong Kong’s largest emergency responses in years.

“I’ve given up thinking about my property,” a resident named Wu shared. “Watching it burn like that was really frustrating.”

This incident has been categorized as a level five fire on a severity scale that ranges from one to five.

Hong Kong, which became a Special Administrative Region of China on July 1, 1997, maintains distinct legal, economic, and administrative systems that set it apart from mainland China.