Hong Kong Fire Tragedy: 44 Dead and Nearly 300 Missing in Wang Fuk Court Blaze

A massive fire at Wang Fuk Court in Hong Kong’s Tai Po has left the city in shock, with at least 44 people dead and 45 injured. The blaze swept through multiple residential towers on Wednesday afternoon and rapidly spread to seven of the eight buildings in the complex. Firefighters received the first alert at 2.51 p.m. and raised the response level to a No. 5 alarm as the flames intensified.

Hong Kong Chief Executive John Lee said the fire has been slowly brought under control after hours of tireless work by emergency crews. He added that around 279 residents are still missing and that 29 injured individuals remain in hospital, including seven in critical condition. Lee said he was deeply saddened by the tragedy.

Authorities have arrested three men on suspicion of manslaughter as investigations into the cause of the fire continue. Lee said the government has mobilised all available resources to support rescue efforts. Teams are working to extinguish remaining fire pockets, rescue trapped residents, treat the injured and provide emotional support to affected families.

The incident has drawn attention in India as well, given the strong ties between the two regions. The scale of the disaster has raised serious concerns about fire safety standards in densely populated high rise residential complexes.