ALBAWABA- At least 14 people were killed, and more than 50 were injured on Wednesday when a massive blaze tore through the Wang Fuk Court housing estate in Hong Kong’s Tai Po district, in what officials described as the city’s worst residential fire in decades.
The fire spread with extraordinary speed across seven of the complex’s eight towers after igniting bamboo scaffolding used for renovation works. Residents reported smoke flooding stairwells within minutes, leaving many trapped on upper floors as flames climbed the exterior of the 41-year-old estate.
Firefighters escalated the alarm to the maximum No. 5 level by early evening, deploying more than 700 firefighters and 130 fire engines. Falling debris, intense heat, and the vertical spread of flames severely hampered rescue operations, Deputy Fire Services Director Derek Armstrong Chan said.
How Hong Kong mega housing complex was engulfed in flames, killing 13, raising major questions
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More than 700 residents from the 2,000-unit estate, home to over 4,600 people, many of them elderly, were evacuated to temporary shelters. Seven injured victims, including a firefighter, remain in critical condition.
Chinese President Xi Jinping issued rare personal condolences, calling for “all-out efforts” to contain the disaster and support survivors. Hong Kong Chief Executive John Lee convened an emergency meeting and ordered a full investigation. Early findings point to an electrical fault linked to renovation work as a possible trigger.
Wang Fuk Court, built in 1983 under Hong Kong’s subsidized home-ownership scheme, has been undergoing a HK$330 million (US$42 million) refurbishment.
