Deadly Hong Kong Fire Puts Spotlight on Disputed Renovation at Aging Housing Complex

A high-rise fire that killed at least 55 people in the Tai Po district has cast a harsh spotlight on a contentious, multimillion-dollar renovation project at the 42-year-old housing estate, where residents had recently ousted their building’s leadership over the plan’s “sky-high” price tag.

The five-alarm blaze at Wang Fuk Court has raised urgent questions about the link between the renovation dispute and the building’s safety standards, including why fire alarms reportedly failed to sound, forcing some residents to bang on doors to wake their neighbors.