Hong Kong tower blaze kills 55, leaves hundreds missing in deadliest fire in decades

A massive fire that ripped through the Wang Fuk Court residential estate in northern Hong Kong’s Tai Po district has killed at least 55 people and left nearly 300 unaccounted for, the city’s police and fire services said.

The blaze erupted around 2:51 pm local time on Wednesday, 26 November, and spread rapidly through bamboo scaffolding and external cladding on several of the complex’s eight 31-storey blocks, home to some 4,800 residents.

Three men, two of them directors at a construction firm and an engineering consultant, have been arrested and are facing manslaughter charges, with police blaming “gross negligence” and the use of flammable building materials.

Firefighters faced extreme heat, dense smoke and collapsing scaffolding as they battled to reach upper floors where residents were believed trapped.

Emergency crews evacuated more than 900 people as authorities warned the death toll may rise further as search and rescue operations continued deep into the night.

The incident prompted a wave of condemnation and raised fresh questions about fire safety standards across Hong Kong’s aging high-rise housing stock, especially those undergoing renovation.

City leaders have ordered inspections of all high-rise estates under repair and promised full scrutiny of scaffolding practices.

Foreign governments and international agencies, meanwhile, expressed concern at the scale of the disaster.

A US State Department spokesperson said Washington was “closely monitoring developments” and was in touch with local authorities to determine whether any American citizens were affected.

The European Union issued a statement calling the loss of life “devastating” and urged Hong Kong authorities to conduct a “transparent investigation” into possible safety lapses.

The UN Office for Disaster Risk Reduction said the tragedy underscored the vulnerabilities of densely populated high-rise cities and the need for stronger enforcement of building-safety norms during renovation cycles.

The United Kingdom’s Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office expressed “deep sadness” over the fatalities and said it was seeking information on British nationals in the city while offering consular support.

Beijing offered condolences and said central authorities were coordinating assistance to the Hong Kong government.

Mainland state media called for a review of scaffolding safety and oversight of construction subcontractors.

Regional governments including Japan, Singapore and South Korea also extended condolences and said they stood ready to offer support if requested.