High-Rise Fire Kills at Least 36 as Blaze Rips Through Multiple Buildings

A massive fire tore through multiple high-rise residential towers in Hong Kong’s Tai Po district on Wednesday, leaving at least 36 people dead, 29 injured, and 279 still missing as firefighters struggled to contain the blaze.

The fire broke out in the 32-story Wang Fuk Court housing complex, which houses nearly 2,000 residents across eight blocks. Thick black smoke and towering orange flames poured from the buildings, many of which were wrapped in bamboo scaffolding and green construction mesh. The cause of the fire has not yet been determined.

Firefighters battled the blaze into the night, facing intense heat and strong winds that spread flames across seven of the eight towers. Access to the upper floors proved extremely difficult, making containment even harder. Tragically, a firefighter was among those killed, while more than 16 others were injured.

Residents watched in shock as the fire consumed the buildings. Seventy-one-year-old Wong broke down in tears, fearing for his wife trapped inside. Another resident, Harry Cheung, 66, described hearing “a very loud noise” before seeing the fire erupt and rushing to gather his belongings, unsure if he would be able to return home.

The Hong Kong Fire Services Department received the first report at 2:51 p.m., upgrading it to a No. 5 alarm — the city’s highest — by 6:22 p.m. An entire section of Tai Po Road was closed as emergency crews worked tirelessly, with buses rerouted and streets lined with fire engines and ambulances.

This is Hong Kong’s deadliest fire since 1996, when 41 people died in a Kowloon commercial building blaze caused by welding during renovations. That tragedy led to major updates in building standards and fire safety regulations.

Bamboo scaffolding, still widely used in Hong Kong, has been partially phased out by the government since March, with new regulations requiring 50% of public construction projects to use metal frames. Several of the burning towers had scaffolding on their exteriors, highlighting ongoing safety concerns in one of the world’s most densely populated cities.

Wang Fuk Court, occupied since 1983 under a government-subsidized home ownership program, has been undergoing renovations costing HK$330 million, with residents paying between HK$160,000 and HK$180,000 per unit. For many Hong Kong residents, owning a home remains a distant dream in a city with record-high rents and limited housing options.