Hong Kong’s Deadliest Blaze in a Century Ravages Tai Po High-Rises
Hong Kong is reeling from its worst fire in more than a century after a towering inferno swept through a cluster of high-rise buildings in Tai Po on Wednesday afternoon, killing at least 65 people and leaving nearly 280 unaccounted for, according to Al Jazeera News. More than 70 others were injured as firefighters battled flames that surged with terrifying speed, fueled by renovation materials wrapped around the buildings’ exteriors.
The blaze erupted around 2:51pm at Wang Fuk Court, a subsidized housing estate of eight towers built in 1983. The fire is believed to have ignited on bamboo scaffolding—highly flammable and widely used in the city’s construction work before racing up the facade covered in green construction netting. Burning debris cascaded onto nearby towers, igniting multiple structures within minutes.
By early Thursday, firefighters had brought flames in four buildings under control but continued struggling to access upper floors of others due to extreme heat, falling debris, and weakened scaffolding. More than 1,200 fire and ambulance personnel were mobilized.
The victims include a 37-year-old firefighter, Ho Wai-ho, who lost contact with his team while battling flames on the ground floor. Two Indonesian domestic workers were also confirmed dead, with others injured. As of Thursday morning, 66 people remained hospitalized, 17 in critical condition.
Wang Fuk Court, home to many elderly residents, nearly 40 percent are over 65, was undergoing major renovation work estimated at more than $42 million. Survivors reported hearing no fire alarms, forcing residents to knock on doors and race through smoke-filled corridors to alert neighbors. “The fire spread so quickly,” said a resident surnamed Suen. “People were warning each other floor by floor.”
Authorities have launched a criminal investigation, arresting two directors and an engineering consultant of the construction company overseeing the renovation. Police say the materials used, including mesh and polystyrene foam, were not fire-resistant, pointing to “gross negligence.”
Chief Executive John Lee ordered immediate inspections of all housing estates undergoing repairs and announced emergency assistance, including HK$10,000 per affected household, temporary shelter, and a HK$300 million relief fund.
The disaster, Hong Kong’s deadliest since a 1918 racecourse fire, has reignited concerns over building safety and the widespread use of combustible scaffolding in one of the world’s densest cities.
