Inferno in Hong Kong High-Rise Kills 36, With Hundreds Missing
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Thick smoke and flames billow from residential buildings at Wang Fuk Court in Tai Po, Hong Kong, during a severe fire on Nov. 26, 2025. Photo: VCG
At least 36 people were killed and 279 others reported missing after a fire tore through a high-rise housing estate in Hong Kong on Wednesday, marking one of the city’s most lethal disasters in decades.
Hong Kong Chief Executive John Lee confirmed the death toll early Thursday morning at a press conference around 1:20 a.m., adding that 29 people had been hospitalized, including seven in critical condition. Among the dead was at least one firefighter.
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- At least 36 people died and 279 are missing after a fire in a Hong Kong high-rise housing estate; 29 were hospitalized, including 7 critically injured.
- The fire spread rapidly across seven towers, likely due to bamboo scaffolding and renovation materials; over 700 residents were evacuated.
- This is Hong Kong's deadliest fire disaster in decades, prompting renewed concerns about bamboo scaffolding safety.
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Who’s Who
- Chinachem Group
- A smaller fire occurred on October 18 at Chinachem Tower in Central, which was attributed to exterior scaffolding. This incident had already led to safety warnings from the Buildings Department regarding fire risks.
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What Happened When
- October 18, 2025：
- A smaller blaze, linked to exterior scaffolding, occurred at Chinachem Tower in Central and prompted safety warnings from the Buildings Department.
- Monday, November 24, 2025：
- A Red Fire Danger Warning was in place in Hong Kong due to low humidity.
- Wednesday afternoon, November 26, 2025：
- A fire erupted in the Wang Fuk Court housing estate in the Tai Po district of Hong Kong, spreading across seven of the estate’s eight residential towers.
- November 26, 2025, 2:51 p.m.：
- The Fire Services Department received its first emergency call and mounted a major rescue operation.
- November 26, 2025, 6:22 p.m.：
- The fire escalated from a level-one alarm to the top-level five alarm.
- Early morning, November 27, 2025, around 1:20 a.m.：
- Hong Kong Chief Executive John Lee confirmed the death toll from the fire at a press conference.
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