Cover Story: Inside the Deadly Inferno That Tore Through Wang Fuk Court

The Wang Fuk Court fire in Hong Kong stands as the city’s deadliest blaze since 1918, claiming at least 128 lives and leaving an indelible mark on public consciousness. The inferno erupted suddenly on the afternoon of November 26, engulfing seven out of eight high-rise residential towers and trapping hundreds of residents, many of whom were elderly or had limited mobility. Fung, a resident in his 60s, was only able to flee due to a warning call from his wife, as building alarms failed to function in time. The fire burned for over 43 hours, with more than 1,200 emergency personnel deployed to combat the flames. When extinguished on the morning of November 28, another 200 people were still missing, and the destruction drew comparisons to the 1918 Happy Valley Racecourse disaster, which killed over 600 [para. 1][para. 2][para. 3][para. 4][para. 5][para. 6][para. 7][para. 8][para. 9][para. 10][para. 11].

Wang Fuk Court, a 42-year-old subsidized public housing estate in Tai Po, housed 4,643 people, with a median age of 56.6 and over 40% of residents aged 65 or older. The disaster has provoked urgent scrutiny of Hong Kong’s aging public housing infrastructure: as of late 2024, nearly 9,000 private residential buildings in the city were over 50 years old, a number rising rapidly each year [para. 12][para. 13].

Investigations have focused on construction practices and materials, particularly the use of bamboo scaffolding and flammable foam insulation boards during a major renovation project. Authorities suspect the fire began in the building’s protective netting, and rapidly intensified when it ignited foam board covering apartment windows. Worsening the crisis, glass windows shattered in the heat, allowing flames to burst directly into homes and turning the complex into a "firetrap." Three executives from the renovation contractor, Prestige Construction and Supply Co. Ltd., were arrested on suspicion of manslaughter for potential gross negligence [para. 14][para. 15][para. 16][para. 17][para. 18][para. 19][para. 20].

Eyewitness accounts described how the fire began as a small spark on the scaffolding before racing up the buildings—a rare “three-dimensional fire” that thwarted traditional rescue tactics. Firefighters encountered stairwells thick with toxic smoke and “chimney effects” caused by building design, which channeled heat and fumes, cutting off escape routes. Most residents, especially the elderly, found escape virtually impossible once the fire penetrated both the exterior and interior [para. 21][para. 22][para. 23][para. 24][para. 25][para. 26].

Experts have emphasized a combination of factors behind the disaster: highly combustible renovation materials and foam boards, strong winds, and dry weather. Although bamboo scaffolding is common in Hong Kong for its flexibility and low cost, it presented a major hazard at such a large scale: as it burned, protective netting certified as flame-retardant still ignited and wrapped the towers in a “flammable coat.” Critically, polystyrene foam boards installed as window protection became ignition points, releasing deadly smoke and gases when burned [para. 27][para. 28][para. 29][para. 30][para. 31][para. 32][para. 33][para. 34][para. 35][para. 36][para. 37][para. 38][para. 39][para. 40].

The HK$330 million renovation scheme had already faced public outcry over costs and transparency, with records showing questionable spending and insufficient fire safety funding. Alarms failed during the fire, and prior inspections had revealed malfunctions. Following the disaster, anti-corruption authorities arrested additional individuals involved in the renovation [para. 41][para. 42][para. 43][para. 44][para. 45][para. 46][para. 47][para. 48][para. 49][para. 50][para. 51][para. 52][para. 53].

The aftermath saw a surge in public support—including HK$300 million in government relief and extensive volunteer mobilization. About 1,800 temporary housing units have been secured for displaced residents. The tragedy has accelerated reforms: the government pledged to phase out bamboo scaffolding, expanded building safety inspections, and experts recommend adopting hybrid, fire-resistant technologies and stricter oversight of construction practices. Calls for industry reform and regulatory accountability continue as the city reckons with the vulnerabilities of its aging housing stock and construction sector [para. 54][para. 55][para. 56][para. 57][para. 58][para. 59][para. 60][para. 61][para. 62][para. 63][para. 64][para. 65][para. 66][para. 67][para. 68][para. 69][para. 70][para. 71].