On November 26th, 2025, a major fire broke out in Hong Kong’s Tai Po Wang Fook Garden in the afternoon, rapidly engulfing multiple apartment buildings. The death toll has risen from an initial 13 to 44 people, with over 30 injured and 279 missing. At present, three men have been arrested on suspicion of involvement in the investigation of the fire.
On the morning of the 27th, Hong Kong authorities announced in a press conference that 44 people were confirmed dead in the fire, with 45 others in critical condition.
Over 800 firefighters are currently on the scene battling the blaze at Wang Fook Garden. Chief Executive of Hong Kong, Li Jia-chao, stated that the fire is now under control.
The fire initially started on the exterior wall scaffolding of Wang Cheong House, quickly spreading to neighboring buildings like Wang Tai House and Wang Sun House.
Hong Kong police reported that around 2:45 pm on the 26th, numerous citizens reported the fire on the exterior wall scaffolding of Wang Cheong House, with the cause of the fire unknown. Many people reported difficulty breathing and inability to leave the scene.
The Hong Kong Fire Department received a fire alarm report at 2:51 pm, continuously receiving distress calls from trapped residents. By 3:02 pm, the fire was escalated to a level 3 alarm, then to level 4 at 3:34 pm, and reached a level 5 alarm at 6:22 pm.
According to Reuters, three men suspected of manslaughter have been arrested by the Hong Kong police, with more details expected to be released later.
The death toll from the fire rose from 13 to 36 by the early hours of the 27th, as confirmed by Chief Executive Li Jia-chao. 279 people remain missing, with 29 hospitalized, including 7 in critical condition.
As of 8 pm on the 26th, the Hong Kong Fire Department reported that the fire at Wang Fook Garden had claimed 13 lives, with 9 found dead at the scene and 4 pronounced dead after being transported to the hospital. 15 people were injured, including two firefighters, with two in critical condition, three in serious condition, and one in stable condition.
Fire Services Department Director Yang Ngan-kin announced that a 37-year-old firefighter with the surname Ho had died in the line of duty. Ho had served for 9 years at the Sha Tin Fire Station and was found lying on the Wang Fook Garden platform with facial burns. He was rushed to Prince of Wales Hospital but was pronounced dead at 5:45 pm.
As of the deadline, the level 5 fire has yet to be completely extinguished, and the number of casualties is still fluctuating. The Hong Kong Fire Department cited high temperatures and intense fire, preventing access to some floors.
A resident of Wang Fook Garden, Ms. Cheung, shared with the media that she initially saw the fire at Wang Cheong House, then heard the fire alarm in her own building. Police and firefighters arrived to evacuate them, and her family of three safely left and stayed with relatives for the night.
Mr. Zheng, a relative of a resident of Wang Shing House in Wang Fook Garden, expressed concern as an elderly family member is currently missing and unable to walk up several flights of stairs. He mentioned contacting the fire department for assistance.
Wang Fook Garden comprises 8 buildings currently undergoing major renovations, with all buildings equipped with scaffolding and protective netting. According to the Wang Fook Garden Owners Corporation website, as of the 10th of this month, ongoing projects include internal wall painting, external wall plastering, and paper stone installation.
Chairman of “Central Construction Monitoring” Pan Cheuk-hung raised concerns, suggesting that the lack of fire-resistant netting in the Wang Fook Garden construction may have contributed to the fire. He specifically called out Fire Services Department Director Yang Ngan-kin for allegedly ignoring the issue of flammable scaffolding.
Pan stated on his Facebook that regulations mandate the use of fire-resistant netting whenever scaffolding is erected on buildings in use by the public. He argued that in construction sites without public access, such measures may be overlooked.
According to the Southern Metropolis Daily, industry analysts attributed the difficulty in extinguishing the level 5 fire in Hong Kong to the phenomenon of “vertical combustion” in tall buildings, exacerbated by the “chimney effect” created by the scaffolding, rapidly fueling the flames upwards, especially in the face of strong winds.
The “chimney effect” refers to the rapid spread of heat and smoke in a relatively enclosed vertical space, such as stairwells, shafts, and wall crevices, making it challenging to contain the fire.
The Hong Kong Midland Realty website indicates that Wang Fook Garden was completed in 1983, making it 42 years old, located at 3821 Yuen Chau Tsai, Tai Po Central District, near the Tai Po Market MTR Station. Wang Fook Garden is a part of the Hong Kong Home Ownership Scheme, providing subsidized public housing for low-income citizens, with 8 buildings offering a total of 1,984 units.