A devastating fire at Wang Fuk Court in Hong Kong's Tai Po has claimed 146 lives and injured 79, displacing thousands. Authorities confirmed the safety of 159 previously missing residents, though about 40 remain unaccounted for. The government is providing temporary housing and financial aid while investigating the blaze's cause.
A major fire broke out on the afternoon of Wednesday, November 26, at Wang Fuk Court in Tai Po, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. The affordable housing complex, completed in 1983, houses around 4,000 residents in 1,984 units. The blaze is believed to have started on the scaffolding of one building and spread to six others, with all eight buildings wrapped in green mesh and scaffolding for a major renovation project at the time. Flammable materials covering the buildings may have contributed to the rapid spread.
As of Sunday, December 1, the death toll has risen to 146, including one firefighter, with 79 injured, among them 12 firefighters. The Disaster Victim Identification Unit discovered 18 more bodies in the wreckage, completing searches in four of the seven affected buildings, though about 40 people remain unaccounted for. Police noted that 100 cases are classified as untraceable due to incomplete information or inability to contact informants. Of the initially 150 unclear cases, 159 residents have been confirmed safe.
The Indonesian consulate announced that the death toll among its domestic helpers has risen to nine, with 36 still unaccounted for; one remains in hospital and 94 are safe. The Philippine consulate reported one helper dead, 84 safe, seven unaccounted for, and one injured. Filipino helper Reinalyn Niere recounted fleeing from the third floor of Wang Tao House with her employers' three-year-old daughter, shielding the child from falling embers while running down a smoke-filled stairwell and colliding with bamboo scaffolding, leaving her in pain. Her employer called her 'my hero,' but she expressed regret over not persuading a neighbor to escape; the neighbor stayed and was later found dead.
The government has ensured free accommodation, placing over 1,500 residents in transitional housing, youth hostels, or hotels; 1,827 survivors have moved into temporary homes, with another 200 units located for longer-term stays. Financial Secretary Paul Chan Mo-po stated that resettling residents through winter is the top priority, with banks offering repayment grace periods and extended hours in Tai Po. Relief includes HK$10,000 emergency cash to 1,760 affected households, HK$50,000 living allowances per household, and HK$200,000 condolence payments to bereaved families. The Tai Po Wang Fuk Court Relief Fund totals HK$800 million, comprising HK$300 million from the government and HK$500 million in donations.
Three men involved in the renovation were arrested early Thursday on suspicion of manslaughter. The government ordered city-wide safety checks on scaffolding and construction materials, while Hong Kong's Independent Commission Against Corruption launched a probe into alleged corruption in the project. A memorial service was held on Saturday, with the mourning period continuing until Monday; flags at government buildings are at half-mast, and all government-organized entertainment and celebrations have been cancelled or postponed. On Sunday, thousands of mourners lined up in Tai Po to place offerings, flowers, and messages at a makeshift altar near the site, as Beijing called for unity and healing. Police warned of scammers circulating a fake 'Tai Po Wang Fuk Court victims registration form,' urging residents to avoid sharing personal details.
