Hong Kong, November 30, 2025 – Hong Kong has commenced a somber three-day mourning period to honor the victims of a catastrophic fire at the Wang Fuk Court residential complex in Tai Po, marking the city's worst such disaster since 1948. The blaze, which erupted on Wednesday afternoon, has claimed at least 128 lives, injured 83 others—including 11 firefighters—and left approximately 150 people unaccounted for as rescue operations wound down. Officials warn that the toll could rise further as forensic teams continue sifting through the charred remains of seven out of eight 32-story towers, where temperatures in some areas still exceed 200 degrees Celsius.
The mourning period, which began at 8 a.m. local time on Saturday, saw Chief Executive John Lee, principal officials, Executive Council members, and hundreds of civil servants gather outside the government headquarters in Central for a three-minute silence. Dressed in black, Lee stood solemnly as the national flag of China and the flag of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region were lowered to half-mast across all government buildings and facilities—a symbolic gesture that will persist through Monday. "This tragedy has shaken the soul of our city," Lee said in a brief address following the observance, vowing a thorough investigation into the causes and accountability measures to prevent future horrors. During the mourning days, all government-organized celebratory events have been canceled or postponed, and officials have curtailed non-essential public engagements to reflect the gravity of the loss.
The fire broke out around 2:51 p.m. on November 26 in the lower floors of one tower at Wang Fuk Court, a sprawling public housing estate comprising eight blocks and over 1,900 apartments, home to an estimated 4,600 residents—many of them elderly or low-income families. What began as a localized incident rapidly escalated into a multi-building inferno, fueled by highly flammable materials used in ongoing renovations. Preliminary investigations point to bamboo scaffolding wrapped in non-compliant green mesh netting and windows sealed with polystyrene foam boards as key accelerators of the blaze's spread. These materials, intended to protect against debris during the HK$100 million refurbishment project, instead created a chimney-like effect, channeling flames and toxic smoke upward through corridors and into adjacent structures.
Compounding the tragedy, fire alarms in all eight blocks failed to activate, a revelation that has intensified public outrage. Director of Fire Services Andy Yeung confirmed during a Friday press briefing that the systems were "not functional," though it's unclear if this was a pre-existing issue or exacerbated by the fire's intensity. Over 2,000 firefighters, supported by 128 fire engines and 57 ambulances, battled the flames for more than 40 hours before declaring it under control late Friday. Among the dead is a 37-year-old firefighter who succumbed to injuries sustained during the initial response.
For the first time in 17 years, Hong Kong's Fire Services Department escalated to a Level-5 alarm—the highest tier on the five-level scale—signaling an unprecedented mobilization. Despite these efforts, rescue operations were officially called off Friday evening, shifting focus to recovery and identification. Police deployed over 1,000 officers, including specialists from the Disaster Victim Identification Unit clad in white protective suits, to comb through more than 1,018 forcibly entered units. As of Saturday afternoon, 89 bodies remained unidentified, with families flocking to a nearby community center in Kwong Fuk Estate to view photographs and DNA samples in a desperate bid for closure. The government has activated a specialized tracking system to streamline reports of the missing, reducing the initial count from 200 to 150 after some reunions.
The disaster has exposed deep-seated concerns over building safety in Hong Kong's aging public housing stock. Wang Fuk Court, built in the 1980s, was undergoing mandatory renovations ordered by the Buildings Department to address structural decay—a common plight in a city where nearly half the population resides in subsidized estates. Residents had voiced alarms for over a year, flooding authorities with complaints about substandard scaffolding and flammable netting as early as July 2024. The Labour Department conducted 16 inspections between July 2024 and November 2025, yet approved the materials despite lacking proper fire-retardant certifications. "We warned them repeatedly, but nothing changed," said one anonymous survivor, echoing sentiments from former district councillor Herman Yiu Kwan-ho, who noted the estate's high proportion of seniors—over 25% of Hong Kong's population is aged 65 or older, exacerbating vulnerabilities in emergencies.
In response, authorities have arrested 11 individuals linked to the project, including two directors and an engineering consultant from Prestige Construction & Engineering Company, charged with manslaughter, and eight more from Will Power Architects Company and related firms on suspicion of corruption. Hong Kong's Independent Commission Against Corruption has formed a task force to probe potential graft in the approval process. A full police investigation into the fire's origin and propagation is expected to span three to four weeks, with evidence collection delayed by lingering heat.
The human cost extends beyond the immediate casualties. Among the missing and deceased are foreign domestic workers, predominantly women from the Philippines and Indonesia, who comprise Hong Kong's 368,000-strong migrant labor force. Indonesia reported seven nationals killed, while the Philippines confirmed one critically injured, one missing, and 28 unaccounted for. Survivors, many elderly or with pets, have been relocated to temporary hostels, hotels, and transitional flats, with around 800 affected residents accommodated by Friday. Volunteers at Tung Cheong Street Sports Center registered over 200 for aid, distributing clothes, food, and essentials amid a deluge of donations totaling HK$1.1 billion. The government established a HK$300 million support fund on November 28, supplemented by corporate pledges from mainland Chinese firms. Macao donated HK$10 million and offered further assistance, while animal welfare groups provided care for rescued pets, including three cats and a turtle found amid the debris.
Condolence points sprang up across all 18 districts by midday Saturday, where residents queued to sign books and lay flowers at makeshift memorials near the site. International condolences poured in from at least 16 world leaders and 52 embassies, with President Xi Jinping urging "all-out efforts" to mitigate losses. Guangdong and Shenzhen dispatched drones for investigations, underscoring regional solidarity.
In the fire's wake, Beijing announced a nationwide campaign targeting fire hazards in high-rises, inspecting external insulation, scaffolding, alarms, and evacuation routes—a direct ripple from Hong Kong's nightmare. Locally, Lee ordered immediate audits of all public housing under renovation, while the Legislative Council's four election forums scheduled for November 27-28 were suspended.
As the city grapples with grief, survivors like 71-year-old Wong, who lost his wife in the blaze, embody the raw anguish: "She was trapped inside, and I could only watch." Makeshift vigils at Tai Po Mega Mall, which opened overnight for aid on November 26, drew artists and citizens bearing supplies and tributes. The ICAC's involvement hints at systemic failures, drawing parallels to the 2017 Grenfell Tower fire in London, where 72 died due to similar cladding issues.
Families of the deceased will receive HK$200,000 in compensation, with provisions for repatriation and support for migrant survivors. Yet, as smoke clears from Wang Fuk Court, questions linger: How did warnings go unheeded, and what reforms will safeguard Hong Kong's vulnerable high-rises? In a city long scarred by density-driven perils, this inferno demands not just mourning, but transformative action.
