Huge fire engulfs apartment buildings in Hong Kong

Thursday, November 27, 2025 -A catastrophic fire ripped through the Wang Fuk Court housing estate in Tai Po District, Hong Kong on November 26–27, 2025, leaving the city reeling. 

Flames erupted in the afternoon and quickly engulfed multiple towers wrapped in bamboo scaffolding and green netting. The blaze was so severe that authorities raised the alert to “No. 5,” the city’s highest fire‑alarm level.

By Thursday morning, the death toll had climbed to at least 83 people, including a firefighter, with dozens injured and hundreds still unaccounted for. 

Rescue workers continued searching through scorched high‑rises as thick smoke and heat made access extremely difficult. The fire destroyed homes for thousands — estimates suggest the complex housed nearly 4,800 residents.

Authorities have launched a criminal investigation and three people have already been arrested on suspicion of manslaughter. Investigators point to “gross negligence” by the construction firm responsible for recent renovations — especially the use of flammable materials and unsafe scaffolding that may have caused the blaze to spread so rapidly.

Meanwhile, the tragedy has reignited urgent public debate over building safety standards — especially in older public housing estates undergoing renovation.