Hong Kong Housing Blaze Kills 44, Hundreds Still Missing in Tai Po Fire

Hong Kong:  A deadly blaze has torn through Hong Kong’s Wang Fuk Court housing complex in the Tai Po district, claiming the lives of at least 44 people so far. With hundreds of residents still unaccounted for, officials expect the casualty figure to climb as emergency teams struggle to contain the massive fire that engulfed multiple high-rise blocks.

Student Thomas Liu, drawn to the scene, described the intensity: “When you get closer the heat rises and you can feel it and the smoke is really heavy.” Liu told the BBC he witnessed a body being removed, calling the incident “a disaster.”

The humanitarian crisis is deepening as families desperately seek information. Mui Siu-fung, a local Tai Po councillor, told BBC Chinese, “Many people sent us WhatsApp messages or called us, saying they still have relatives inside or can’t find them.”

Among those feared trapped is a woman who regularly takes afternoon naps and has been unreachable since the fire broke out at 14:51 local time.

Over a thousand people were forced to flee the estate, with many seeking refuge in temporary centers. Residents expressed devastation and fear of losing their homes, with one elderly woman worried her uninsured apartment had been destroyed. Harry Cheung, a 40-year resident of the complex, said he immediately grabbed his belongings and worried, “I’m just thinking about where I’m going to sleep tonight.”

While the fire was gradually being contained, the cause remains unknown. However, police have arrested three construction company executives on suspicion of manslaughter.

Police revealed that a mesh material and plastic sheets—neither of which is believed to be fireproof—were found outside the buildings, along with Styrofoam on the windows. These highly flammable materials are suspected of allowing the fire to spread with lethal speed across the complex.