Hong Kong Fire Victims Recount Horror of Being Trapped Without Warning
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Affected residents are sheltered at The Church of Christ in China Fung Leung Kit Memorial Secondary School, about a three-minute walk from Hongfuyuan. Photo: Wang Xiaoqing/Caixin
Fung was at home on Wednesday afternoon when his wife, who was out, called with terrifying news: their building was on fire. He had heard no fire alarm, seen no smoke. From the inside, everything seemed normal.
That silence and lack of warning is now central to the investigation of a catastrophic fire that engulfed all seven towers of Wang Fuk Court, a sprawling housing estate in Hong Kong’s New Territories. By Thursday evening, the blaze was largely under control, but residents were left grappling with a tragedy they say was tragically predictable.
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- A fire at Hong Kong’s Wang Fuk Court spread rapidly due to flammable styrofoam panels installed during a HK$330 million ($42.3 million) renovation, with no fire alarm warning residents.
- Three managers from the construction company were arrested, and Hong Kong’s ICAC launched a corruption investigation into the renovation project following public outrage and management upheaval.
- The tragedy highlighted the vulnerability of elderly residents, a controversial renovation process, and inadequate fire safety measures.
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Who’s Who
- Wang Yip Construction Engineering Limited
- Wang Yip Construction Engineering Limited was the contractor for the controversial renovation project at Wang Fuk Court. This **宏业建筑工程有限公司** firm's renovation involved the use of highly combustible styrofoam panels, which residents were told were for protection against debris. Police arrested three managers from the company after a catastrophic fire engulfed the housing estate.
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What Happened When
- January 2024：
- The owners’ corporation approved the massive renovation contract for Wang Fuk Court, sparking immediate outrage among homeowners.
- July 2024：
- Renovation work began at Wang Fuk Court, wrapping the buildings in scaffolding, netting, and styrofoam panels.
- By September 2024：
- Residents held a special meeting and ousted the entire management committee of the owners’ corporation, installing a new committee.
- November 26, 2025：
- Fung learned from his wife that their building at Wang Fuk Court was on fire, with no fire alarm or smoke detected from inside.
- By Thursday evening (November 27, 2025)：
- The blaze at Wang Fuk Court was largely under control, but residents were left reeling from the disaster.
- November 27, 2025：
- Police arrested three managers from the engineering company responsible for the renovation project.
- November 27, 2025：
- Hong Kong’s ICAC announced it had formed a special task force to launch a full-scale corruption investigation into the Wang Fuk Court maintenance project.
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