A fierce blaze engulfed the Wang Fuk Court residential estate in Hong Kong’s Tai Po district on Wednesday 26 of November, killing at least thirteen people and injuring several others. Emergency crews reported that more residents remain trapped inside as firefighters battle thick smoke and flames.
Conflicting Casualty Reports
The Hong Kong Fire Services Department confirmed thirteen deaths and several injured, while police initially cited eight victims. Authorities have yet to clarify the discrepancy, reflecting the chaotic nature of the ongoing rescue operation. Many reports also alludes to the fact that trapped victims might be workers as opposed to residence…
Those trapped inside were residents, not construction workers.
Reports from Hong Kong’s Fire Services Department and local media confirm that the blaze engulfed occupied apartment blocks at the Wang Fuk Court residential estate in Tai Po. Multiple residents were reported trapped inside their homes, with firefighters receiving calls from families unable to escape.
Why the confusion about bamboo scaffolding
- In Hong Kong, bamboo scaffolding is commonly used even on completed and occupied residential buildings for maintenance, renovation, or external works.
- The fire spread rapidly across this scaffolding, which surrounded parts of the estate, leading some observers to assume the towers were under construction.
- However, the South China Morning Post and Channel News Asia both confirm the affected towers were residential blocks with people living inside, not unfinished projects
Scene of the Fire
Witnesses described flames racing through multiple apartment blocks, with smoke spreading across the district and residents calling for help from upper floors. Firefighters deployed aerial ladders and breathing apparatus, but strong winds and dense smoke hampered rescue efforts.
Wider Context
The tragedy has revived concerns about fire safety in high‑rise buildings across Asia. Hong Kong and mainland China have faced deadly incidents in the past, including the 2010 Shanghai apartment fire that killed 58 people and the 2017 Beijing Daxing district blaze that left 19 dead. These events highlighted vulnerabilities in building safety standards and emergency preparedness, issues now resurfacing in the wake of the Tai Po disaster.
Outlook
Authorities continue to search for survivors and investigate the cause of the blaze. With families displaced and questions mounting over building safety, the Tai Po fire is likely to intensify scrutiny of Hong Kong’s housing infrastructure and emergency response systems.
Picture by Yan ZHAO, AFP via Getty Images
