Indonesia's Foreign Ministry confirms 125 nationals safe from a major fire at Wang Fuk Court apartment complex in Tai Po, Hong Kong, on November 26, 2025. Nine Indonesians died, one remains under medical care, and five are still missing. The blaze killed 159 people total and injured 79 others.
A massive fire engulfed the Wang Fuk Court complex in Tai Po, Hong Kong, on Wednesday, November 26, 2025, damaging seven of eight apartment buildings under renovation. The site was covered in bamboo scaffolding and plastic window coverings, suspected of accelerating the fire's spread to multiple floors in minutes. Investigators point to low-standard plastic netting and foam boards as contributors to the tragedy, which killed at least 159 people, injured 79, and left 31 missing.
Among the victims were about 140 Indonesian nationals, all domestic migrant workers, according to the Indonesian Consulate General in Hong Kong. Indonesia's Foreign Ministry states that as of December 3, 2025, 125 Indonesians are confirmed safe, nine dead, one still needing medical care, and five unaccounted for. "As of December 3, 2025 ... the estimated number of Indonesians living in the apartment complex is 140, with 125 of them safe," the ministry wrote in its statement on December 4, 2025.
Hong Kong authorities have detained 21 individuals, including main contractors, scaffolding and fire alarm subcontractors, and technical consultants. The search operation ended on December 3, with initial identification of 140 victims, including five project workers and 10 foreign domestic helpers. Hong Kong police disaster victim identification unit head Stephen Cheng noted finding several bodies in the same building, possibly from one family.
On November 30, 2025, the Indonesian Consulate in Hong Kong formed a family coordination team to assist with repatriating Indonesian victims' remains. Ministry spokesperson Yvonne Mewengkang said some Indonesian bodies have been identified, while others may require DNA samples. Identification and local coordination processes are ongoing, so no repatriation timeline is set.
One victim was Erawati, a migrant worker from Malang. She was found dead hugging her employer's surviving baby after a final video call on November 26 at 7 p.m. local time. "At that time, at 7, video call, really trapped by fire and couldn't run," said her husband, Suyitno. Erawati's family awaited repatriation news as of December 2, 2025, without updates.
In response, Hong Kong ordered the removal of scaffolding nets from about 210 construction projects by Saturday, December 6, 2025, to prevent similar incidents. Residents of the unburned building were allowed back on December 3 to retrieve essentials.
