The death toll from a massive fire that broke out in a high-rise apartment building in Hong Kong’s Tai Po district has risen to 44, officials said. Meanwhile, around 300 people are still missing, while rescue operations continued till morning, with firefighters and emergency teams evacuating people from the burning buildings.In the worst fire to hit Hong Kong in decades, hundreds of people were evacuated as the fire quickly spread to seven of the eight towers of the Wang Fuk Court complex. When the fire engulfed the tall buildings, bright orange fire and thick smoke were coming out from the windows. Officials said 40 of the 44 victims were declared dead at the scene. At least 62 others were injured, many of whom suffered severe burns and smoke inhalation injuries.
According to the Fire Services Department, the fire that broke out in four buildings was “contained” by Thursday morning. The fire broke out on the exterior scaffolding of one building, a 32-story tower, and then spread inside the building and then to nearby buildings, perhaps aided by strong winds, officials said.
Officials said about 700 people have been moved to temporary shelters. In the video of the incident, firefighters were seen trying to extinguish the fire.
Hong Kong Chief Executive Officer John Lee said, “Police and fire departments have formed a team to investigate the cause of the fire.” He said the fire was “under control” late at night.
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Chinese President Xi Jinping on Wednesday expressed condolences to the deceased firefighter and expressed his condolences to the families of the victims. The housing complex consisted of eight buildings containing approximately 2,000 flats, housing approximately 4,800 residents, including the elderly. This housing complex was built in the 1980s and has recently been extensively renovated.
The task of protection from high temperatures is becoming difficult
The fire chief said that due to the high temperature at the spot, it had become difficult for the crew to carry out rescue work. The fire quickly spread to the bamboo scaffolding and construction mesh outside the building, causing flames and thick smoke. About 900 people were taken to temporary shelters.
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Hundreds of firefighters, police officers and paramedics were deployed, officials said. Firefighters poured water on the raging fire from ladder trucks from above. The fire, which broke out in the afternoon, was upgraded to a Level 5 alarm – the highest level of severity – by nightfall. Officials said that the situation was very difficult for the firefighters. Firefighters sent more than 200 fire engines and about 100 ambulances to the spot. Tai Po is a suburban area of the New Territories, located in the northern part of Hong Kong and near the border with the mainland Chinese city of Shenzhen.
Bamboo scaffolding is common in building and renovation projects in Hong Kong, although the government said earlier this year it would gradually begin removing it for public projects due to safety concerns.
News Source- PTI Information
#WATCH | China | Firefighting operations are underway and bodies are still being recovered after a huge fire that broke out at a residential apartment complex in Hong Kong yesterday, claiming the lives of 44 people, with 300 people still missing.
According to the Police, the… https://t.co/58KmXpq6uE pic.twitter.com/IqXAwDCLk5
— ANI (@ANI) November 27, 2025