Hong Kong Tragedy: Four Killed as Massive Fire Sweeps Tai Po Towers

A massive fire broke out on Wednesday afternoon in a cluster of 31-storey residential towers in Tai Po’s Wang Fuk Court housing complex in Hong Kong, leaving at least four people dead, including a firefighter. Several others have been injured, with some in critical condition, as rescue operations continued late into the night.

The blaze reportedly started around 2:50 p.m. and spread rapidly across multiple towers. Thick black smoke could be seen pouring out of numerous floors as flames climbed the bamboo scaffolding that had been erected for ongoing renovation works. With nearly 2,000 apartments inside the affected buildings, thousands of residents found themselves caught in a state of panic.

Eyewitnesses described terrifying scenes as people attempted to escape through balconies and windows while firefighters deployed high-rise ladder trucks and powerful water jets to contain the flames. Emergency teams worked floor by floor, searching for survivors and evacuating trapped residents.

Authorities cordoned off nearby roads, evacuated surrounding buildings, and urged residents in the vicinity to remain indoors and keep their windows shut due to the heavy smoke. The cause of the fire is still under investigation, and officials have promised a detailed probe into the safety of the scaffolding and renovation materials used around the towers.

The incident has emerged as one of Hong Kong’s deadliest residential fires in recent years, prompting widespread calls for stricter safety checks in high-rise buildings undergoing maintenance work.

Fire engulfs a residential building in Hong Kong https://t.co/0l1qX2uth2

— Reuters (@Reuters) November 26, 2025