A catastrophic fire tore through the Wang Fuk Court residential complex in Tai Po, Hong Kong, claiming at least 128 lives while leaving around 200 people unaccounted for, in what has become the deadliest residential fire in the city in decades.
The inferno erupted on Wednesday afternoon and rapidly spread across seven of the estate’s eight 32-storey towers — many of which were wrapped in bamboo scaffolding and green mesh for renovation. The renovation materials, including flammable foam panels and scaffolding netting, are believed to have accelerated the fire’s spread.
Firefighting teams worked for over 40 hours before declaring the blaze largely under control early Friday morning. Yet the tragedy has left dozens injured, with many more missing, and sparked widespread grief across Hong Kong.
Authorities have arrested multiple construction and renovation officials on suspicion of manslaughter and negligence, citing failure of fire-safety alarms and unsafe building practices.
The tragedy has triggered urgent calls for stricter enforcement of fire-safety regulations — particularly around renovation practices and the use of combustible materials in high-density housing.
