November 26,2025
RED FM News Desk
Hong Kong’s deadliest fire in decades raged throughout the night, killing at least 44 people and leaving 279 others reported missing, as rescuers continued pulling residents from burning high-rise apartment towers into Thursday morning.
Police arrested three men on suspicion of manslaughter in connection with the blaze, which began Wednesday afternoon at a housing complex in the Tai Po district, a suburb in the New Territories. By early Thursday, the fire was still not fully extinguished and rescue operations were ongoing.
Hundreds of residents were evacuated as flames spread across seven of the eight towers in the Wang Fuk Court complex, with bright fire and thick smoke pouring from windows.
Officials said 40 of the 44 victims were pronounced dead at the scene. At least 62 people were injured, many suffering burns or smoke inhalation. Authorities suspect that some materials used on the exterior walls of the towers did not meet fire-resistance standards, noting that the unusually rapid spread of the flames raised concerns.
Police reported discovering highly flammable Styrofoam materials outside windows near the lift lobbies of the only unaffected building, materials believed to have been installed by a construction company.
“We have reason to believe that those in charge of the construction company were grossly negligent,” said Senior Superintendent Eileen Chung. The three arrested men, aged 52 to 68, are the company’s directors and an engineering consultant.
By Thursday morning, firefighters said blazes in four of the buildings were “coming under control.” Officials believe the fire started on external scaffolding on a 32-storey tower before spreading inside and then jumping to other buildings, likely accelerated by strong winds.
Chinese leader Xi Jinping on Wednesday expressed condolences for the firefighter who died and offered sympathies to victims’ families, according to state broadcaster CCTV. He also called for efforts to minimize further casualties and losses.
The housing estate consists of eight buildings with nearly 2,000 apartments housing about 4,800 people, including many elderly residents. Built in the 1980s, the complex has recently undergone major renovations.
Fire officials said extreme heat at the scene made rescue work difficult. A towering column of flames and smoke rose as the fire raced up bamboo scaffolding and construction netting around the buildings. About 900 people were moved to temporary shelters.
Hundreds of firefighters, police officers and paramedics were deployed, with crews directing water onto the flames from elevated ladder trucks.
The blaze, which began mid-afternoon, was upgraded to a level-5 alarm — the highest severity — after nightfall. Conditions remained extremely dangerous.
“Debris and scaffolding are falling from the affected buildings,” said Derek Armstrong Chan, deputy director of Fire Services operations. “Temperatures inside are extremely high. It’s difficult for us to enter the building and climb upstairs for firefighting and rescue.” The department said it received numerous calls for help.
More than 200 fire vehicles and around 100 ambulances responded. A 37-year-old firefighter was among the dead, and another was treated for heat exhaustion, said Fire Services Director Andy Yeung.
District officials in Tai Po have opened temporary shelters for displaced residents.
“I’ve given up thinking about my property,” a resident identified only by the surname Wu told local broadcaster TVB. “Watching it burn like that was really painful.”
Tai Po is a suburban area in the New Territories near the border with Shenzhen in mainland China.
Bamboo scaffolding is widely used in Hong Kong construction and renovation projects, though the government announced earlier this year that it would begin phasing it out for public works due to safety concerns.
This is the city’s deadliest fire in decades; the last comparable tragedy occurred in November 1996, when 41 people died in a high-rise blaze in Kowloon that burned for about 20 hours.
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