Fire Rips Through Hong Kong High-Rises, Killing 36 and Leaving Hundreds Missing

A massive fire tore through multiple high-rise residential towers in Hong Kong’s Tai Po district on Wednesday, leaving at least 36 dead, 29 hospitalized, and nearly 300 people unaccounted for, in what is quickly becoming one of the region’s deadliest residential disasters in years.

The blaze erupted around 2:50 p.m. at Wang Fuk Court, a large residential complex in the northern New Territories. By 6:22 p.m., officials had elevated the fire to a No. 5 alarm the highest emergency rating in Hong Kong’s fire classification system.

Hong Kong Chief Executive John Lee confirmed the tragic toll at a press conference, noting that 279 residents remain missing, and at least seven victims are in critical condition.

“Police and the Fire Services Department have already set up a dedicated investigation team to investigate the cause of the fire,” Lee said.

Authorities are now under mounting pressure to explain why fire alarms failed to activate, leaving many residents unaware of the growing inferno until it was almost too late.

83-year-old local resident Chan Kwong-tak told The South China Morning Post:

“If someone was sleeping then, they were done.”

Others recounted only being warned after a security guard went door-to-door, giving residents just minutes to escape.

Tragically, one firefighter lost his life during the rescue effort. Hong Kong Secretary for Security Tang Ping-keung identified the fallen hero as Mr. Ho, offering condolences to his family:

“I am profoundly grieved at the passing of Mr. Ho, who lost his life in the course of an operation. I offer my deepest condolences to his family members.”

Photos from the scene show blackened tower facades, twisted scaffolding engulfed in flames, and thick black smoke pouring from multiple floors. Bamboo scaffolding commonly used in Hong Kong construction likely intensified the blaze and made evacuation efforts more difficult.

Hospitals across the region are treating the injured, including Alice Ho Miu Ling Nethersole Hospital and Prince of Wales Hospital, where most of the victims were taken. Survivors and families of the missing flooded emergency centers late into the night.

In response, the Tai Po District Office opened emergency shelters at Kwong Fuk Community Hall and Tung Cheong Street Community Hall, where displaced residents are being housed and supported.

Former district councillor Herman Yiu Kwan-ho confirmed that multiple residents have now reported system-wide fire alarm failures, calling the incident “preventable” had basic safety infrastructure functioned properly.

The investigation is ongoing, but serious questions are already being raised:

• Why did fire alarms fail in buildings equipped with them?

• Were building materials like bamboo scaffolding up to code for fire resistance?

• Were emergency exits and evacuation protocols sufficient for such densely populated high-rises?

As rescue crews continue to sift through the wreckage, families remain in limbo waiting for answers, and for loved ones who may never return home.

This is a developing story. Subscribe to our newsletter for the latest updates and real-time coverage of global events the mainstream media won’t fully cover.