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Hong Kong Fire 2025

Wang Fuk Court fire, Tai Po — flames on bamboo scaffolding, November 26, 2025.

Photo: Tyrone Siu/Reuters.

A catastrophic fire at Wang Fuk Court in Tai Po, Hong Kong, resulted in at least 156 fatalities and left hundreds missing. Authorities are investigating the incident, citing gross negligence by construction officials as a potential cause.

Quick links: Overview, Key Facts, Hong Kong Fire 2025 Timeline, Hong Kong Fire 2025 Investigation, Hong Kong Fire 2025 Activism, Hong Kong Fire 2025 People

The blaze, which began around 3 p.m. on November 26, 2025, rapidly spread across seven high-rise buildings, triggering a level 5 alarm and a massive emergency response involving more than 800 firefighters and paramedics. Many of the deceased were elderly residents trapped inside the burning structures, and authorities are still working to account for approximately 279 individuals who remain uncontactable.

Officials say the rapid spread of the fire was exacerbated by highly flammable polystyrene materials used in ongoing renovations that blocked windows and escape routes. One firefighter was among the dead, and several others were treated for heat exhaustion during the rescue effort.

Key Facts

  • Location/Date: Wang Fuk Court, Tai Po; ~2,000 apartments with ~4,600 residents (c.40% aged 65+ per 2021 census); fire reported Nov 26, 2025 (~2:51 p.m.), escalated to level 5.
  • Casualties (as of Dec 3): 159 dead (140 identified, 19 pending ID); 31 unaccounted; 79 injured (42 discharged, 37 still hospitalized—4 critical, 9 serious, 24 stable); one firefighter (age 37) confirmed dead; among 235 foreign domestic workers, 10 dead (9 Indonesian, 1 Filipino) and 5 injured. Building distribution: Wang Tai House 82 deaths, Wang Cheong House 70, Wang Sun House 3, Wang Do House 2, Wang Shing House 1; none reported in Wang Yan/Wang Kin/Wang Chi; one victim not yet tied to a block, likely Wang Cheong/Tai (UDN/Ming Pao/TVBS/DotDotNews).
  • Animals: SPCA says firefighters have found 364 animals since the fire; 294 survived and 70 died, with 173 still missing; total affected estimated >537, including fish, pet crabs, and cats (RTHK).
  • Response scale: Fire spread across seven of eight towers (all but Wang Chi House); >800 firefighters/paramedics; 200 fire trucks and 100 ambulances dispatched early.
  • Materials and system failures: Highly flammable polystyrene and substandard scaffolding netting blocked windows/escape routes; elevator-lobby windows reportedly sealed with foam boards; netting allegedly swapped to bypass inspections; alarms found non-functional across all towers (some residents say alarms were switched off during works).
  • Tender and oversight concerns: MBIS renovation price reportedly jumped from HK$140m to HK$330m; residents alleged bid-rigging, triad-linked interference at owners’ meetings, and ignored complaints about flammable mesh/foam; disqualified pro-democracy district councillors who tried to help were expelled (RFI). HKEJ reports the main contractor Prestige Construction & Engineering Ltd. (宏業建築工程有限公司; also rendered Hong Yip Construction Engineering) received a 100/100 “project management” score in the Urban Renewal Authority’s Building Rehab Company Registration Scheme; URA admits the score display could mislead the public about overall contractor quality, notes the scheme did not require disclosure of site-safety convictions, and will revise audit scope/methods/display and review its “招標妥” tender-support service to validate technical scoring (HKEJ).
  • Investigations: 15 manslaughter arrests tied to alleged gross negligence; ICAC probe with eight arrests linked to the renovation project; officials say seven of 20 netting samples failed safety standards (NBC/AP).
  • Insurance/coordination: Insurance Authority task force coordinating insurers’ outreach; ~8,700 policies tied to Wang Fuk Court (1,100 general, 7,600 life) identified across databases (Yahoo).
  • Governance response: Chief Executive John Lee announced a judge-led independent committee (non-statutory) to review the incident and recommend renovation-system reforms; government sources say statutory powers will be replaced by administrative directives to supply evidence.
  • Human stories: Survivor Yip Ka-kui described bamboo “exploding” and mesh igniting as foam-sealed windows trapped his wife Bai Shui Lin, who died after warning neighbors; their sons survived (CBS News). Reuters profiled “Mr. Wong,” the 71-year-old whose anguished photo went viral as he searched for his wife; his son says Wong removed foam boards and soaked the mesh outside their flat, yet she remains among the missing (Reuters/Tyrone Siu story). Filipino helper Maryan Pascual Esteban (40) died while caring for her employer’s 5-year-old daughter; she had worked abroad 14 years, bought tickets to return Dec 16 for Christmas and her father’s 68th birthday, and is remembered by her 10-year-old son Ralph, who vows to become a firefighter (Threads). HKSKH social worker Chan Mo-ning says some families cannot visually ID remains and may wait months for DNA results (am730).
  • Information control and security posture: Beijing’s national-security office warned it would punish anyone “exploiting” the fire, accusing “anti-China” groups of spreading falsehoods; ad-hoc donation booths were replaced by police tents; Dec 7 LegCo campaign activities paused while citing the fire response (WSJ).
  • Donations (as of Dec 2): Community tracker “Taipo Big Donations Watcher” lists HK$2.8276b pledges across 328 donors (GitHub). Major pledges include Li Ka Shing Foundation HK$80m (HK$30m immediate + HK$50m follow-on); Lee Shau Kee Foundation HK$30m; Chow Tai Fook HK$20m; Sun Hung Kai Properties HK$20m + 160 hotel rooms; Sino Group + Wong Ting-fong Fund HK$20m + 160 hotel rooms; Wharf HK$30m; Hang Lung HK$11m + 20 Kornhill units; AIA total HK$40m; HSBC + Hang Seng HK$30m; BOCHK HK$20m + public account; Standard Chartered HK$10m; MTR HK$10m + 2,000 Octopus cards (HK$2,000 each); Disney >HK$10m; Tencent total HK$30m; Alibaba HK$20m; JD.com >RMB30m supplies; Prudential/Manulife HK$20m each; Sun Life HK$10m; FWD HK$10m + HK$10k per affected policyholder; multiple banks/tech/logistics groups add HK$5m–15m support (Ming Pao).
  • Warnings and expertise: Contractor Jason Poon (Pan Zhuohong) reported non-compliant netting on 2024-05-17; residents complained in Sep 2024 about flammable netting/foam (NYT). PolyU associate professor Xinyan Huang issued a Nov 30 clarification on bamboo’s role and called for cautious commentary.
  • International response: Condolences issued by Japan PM Takaichi Sanae (Nov 27), Taiwan President Lai Ching-te (Nov 27), EU Ambassador Harvey Rouse (Nov 27), Türkiye FM (Nov 27), UK King Charles III (Nov 28), Iran FM spokesperson Esmaeil Baqaei (Nov 28), South Korea President Lee Jae-myung (Nov 28), Saudi Arabia’s King Salman/Crown Prince (Nov 29), and others (NHK/Focus Taiwan/EEAS/TRT World/Royal Household/Tehran Times/Korea JoongAng Daily/Arab News).

Event Tree

In the wake of the tragedy, Chinese President Xi Jinping called for an "all-out effort" to extinguish the fire and minimize casualties. Hong Kong Chief Executive John Lee emphasized that the immediate priority is to rescue any remaining residents trapped inside the buildings.

As investigations unfold, three men from the construction company involved in the renovations have been arrested on suspicion of manslaughter, with authorities citing gross negligence as a key factor in the fire's rapid escalation. The Independent Commission Against Corruption has also launched a probe, resulting in eight arrests linked to the renovation project, including project managers and subcontractors.

By December 2, police reported 15 total manslaughter arrests after discovering exterior scaffolding netting failed fire-resistance standards and was allegedly swapped to evade inspections. John Lee pledged a judge-led independent committee to review the incident but, according to government sources Tweet, ruled out a statutory Independent Commission of Inquiry, promising to personally use administrative directives so the non-statutory committee can obtain evidence quickly. Authorities continued to search for 30 unaccounted individuals and identify 29 of the dead. Public grief has been met with arrests of residents and activists calling for accountability, including reports of detentions over leaflets and petitions, with police and the security chief warning against alleged online misinformation RFI and officials warning about rumor-mongering NBC/AP.

Additional references

Further Reading

  • Visuals and explainers: Reuters spread graphic; CNN visual timeline; BBC visual guide; BBC background on alarms; NYT pre-fire complaints.
  • Background and context: FactWire bid database; GitHub “Hong Kong Fire Documentary.”
  • Condolences and tributes: NHK, Focus Taiwan, EEAS, TRT World, Royal Household, Tehran Times, Korea JoongAng Daily, Arab News, Korea Herald.

Community leaders have expressed outrage over the incident, demanding accountability and a thorough investigation into the safety practices of construction companies in Hong Kong. Public anger is mounting, with protests calling for an independent investigation into the causes of the fire and the systemic issues within the construction industry. Authorities have also accused "anti-China forces" of exploiting the tragedy for political gain, further complicating the narrative surrounding the event.

Children
  1. Hong Kong Fire 2025 Activism
  2. Hong Kong Fire 2025 Investigation
  3. Hong Kong Fire 2025 People
  4. Hong Kong Fire 2025 Timeline
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