160 Dead in Hong Kong’s Deadliest Fire in 60 Years: How Wang Fuk Court Became a Firetrap

Hong Kong — On November 26, a massive fire broke out at the Wang Fuk Court housing complex in Tai Po, engulfing seven residential buildings. As of 10th December, authorities have confirmed at least 160 deaths with victims ranging in age from 1 to 97 years old. Some remain missing, and the death toll may rise further. This stands as Hong Kong’s most devastating fire in more than 60 years, triggering citywide mourning and an ongoing storm of accountability.

Firefighters spray water on flames as a major fire engulfs several apartment blocks at the Wang Fuk Court residential estate in Hong Kong. Sourced from NPR.

The fire lasted for more than 40 hours before being completely extinguished. Hundreds were injured, and thousands of residents were evacuated and rehoused in hotels, youth camps, and temporary shelters. Police said that some bodies were severely burned, leaving only skeletons remaining, and the search and identification process is ongoing. Authorities have established an independent commission to investigate the cause of the fire. At least 15 people have been arrested on charges of manslaughter. Meanwhile, the Hong Kong government departments have said relief efforts and investigations are ongoing.

Flammable Materials and Safety Failures Turned the Building Into a Death Trap

The latest investigation reveals that the rapid spread of the fire was closely linked to the extensive use of flammable materials during renovation. These included bamboo scaffolding, protective netting, and foam boards along the external wall. Driven by flames and strong winds, these materials collectively formed an extremely hazardous fuel combination.

Firefighters continued to battle the deadly blaze at the Wang Fuk Court high-rise apartment complex for a second day in Hong Kong. Sourced from NPR.

As the core focus of this investigation, the quality and certification issues of the protective netting have been long-standing. According to the Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC), as early as July 2025, after a typhoon damaged the original protective netting on scaffolding at Wang Fuk Court, the responsible parties didn’t replace it as required. Instead, they purchased 2,300 rolls of low-cost mesh material which did not meet fire safety requirements. Subsequently, due to increased scrutiny of scaffolding fire hazards in other districts of Hong Kong since October 2025, relevant personnel began to worry that random inspections might expose problems. To conceal the issue, they purchased additional 115 rolls of compliant protective netting and installed them centrally at the base of each building’s scaffolding, which were typically targeted for sampling during inspections. This resulted in an initial assessment showing compliance with standards. However, subsequent investigators collected 20 samples from areas near windows and other hard-to-reach elevated positions for testing. 7 of these samples failed the flame-retardant test.

In addition to these flammable materials, the failure of the fire alarm system was also highlighted. Residents reported that some alarms failed to sound during the blaze. Police have arrested personnel from the fire protection contractor, suspecting they disabled the alarm system during construction and made false statements to the Fire Services Department. Without fire alarms warning, residents could only convey the evacuation message by shouting to each another. But for those in the upper floors, there was scarcely any time to escape after the fire broke out. Within just a few hours, 7 buildings in Wang Fuk Court were engulfed in raging flames. The fire raged for nearly two days, and many victims were left severely burned and unrecognizable inside their apartments.

Who’s to Blame? Oversight and Systemic Failure Exposed

As the investigation deepened, numerous systemic failures have been exposed. As John Burns, an honorary professor at the University of Hong Kong, once described, this incident “opened Pandora’s box” – these issues related to bid-rigging, collusion, corruption, and government negligence have all come out.

This tragedy didn’t occur abruptly but had long been foreshadowed. Residents of Wang Fuk Court had repeatedly voiced concerns about the safety of the renovation works before the fire broke out. In early 2024, residents questioned the transparency of the contractor’s regulatory history. They were shocked by repair costs exceeding HK$160,000 per household, unaware that the contractors handling these funds had already drawn regulatory scrutiny. In September of the same year, the owners’ meeting even passed a resolution to dissolve the original management committee. However, with the contract already signed and scaffolding erected, scope for change was limited. As Jason Poon, an activist with a background in contracting, stated: “This is just the tip of the iceberg.” The collusive bidding, multi-tiered subcontracting and ambiguous oversight – commonplace in Hong Kong projects – create fertile ground for hazards.

Moreover, between July 2024 and November 2025, regulatory records indicate that the Labour Department conducted 16 inspections at the site, issuing multiple fire safety rectification notices and imposing fines. The Housing Bureau’s Independent Checking Unit also received test reports and conducted sampling inspections by late 2024. Yet despite repeated resident appeals and regulatory interventions – the Labour Department continued issuing safety warnings during inspections right up until 20 November 2025, just a few weeks before the fire – the project proceeded unabated. The actual non-compliance was only confirmed through post-disaster sampling tests at multiple locations.

Until now, police and the ICAC have arrested at least 15 individuals involved, including main contractors, engineering consultants, and fire safety installation contractors, on charges such as manslaughter, fraud, and collusion in using non-compliant materials. While these arrests mark a step toward accountability, they should not be seen for complete closure, the question of who bears real responsibility remains open. Who’s to blame? The answer needs a deeper investigation, one that exposes not only those who carried out the acts but also the entire system.

Grief, Anger and a Community Seeking Answers

Faced with public pressure, Hong Kong Chief Executive John Lee announced a judge-led independent inquiry committee to comprehensively review the renovation regulatory system. He also ordered the removal of protective nets and scaffolding from all buildings undergoing exterior refurbishment across Hong Kong. However, he sidestepped questions regarding whether he should resign over the matter. Lee’s advisor Ronny Tong, attributed the problem to “some people have broken the law and they were deliberately trying to deceive the authorities,” saying it was not a problem with law enforcement.

Meanwhile, authorities have simultaneously emphasised taking action and providing victim support while tightening controls on dissenting voices. Relevant departments invoked a new national security law to warn citizens against using the tragedy to fuel discontent and destabilise national security. Reportedly the authorities have arrested a man calling for an independent inquiry and accountability for officials. This has raised concerns that the government prioritises appeasing public sentiment over suppressing criticism in its crisis management.

Crowds distribute daily necessities in the aftermath. Sourced from NPR.

At Hong Kong Baptist University, the student union-run notice board, nicknamed the “democracy wall”, has been blocked off. But the slogan on the notice board can still clearly be seen through the tall roadblocks, and reads: “We are Hong Kongers. We urge the government to respond to public demands so justice can be done.” And at a small park near the burn-out building, mourners continued to gather together and laid hundreds of bouquets and memorial notes for the victims. “I hope people can come here to lay their grief to rest,” said Sarah Lam, one of the volunteer organisers. She added that victims also suffered “many injustices”.

29-year-old Luk, who lost his mother in the fire, felt conflicted by this scene of solidarity and camaraderie. “Does it always take a crisis like this to bring us together?” he questioned, “I don’t think anyone wants to come together like this.” For those grieving the victims like Luk, seeking inquiry is not a threat, it is a call for responsible governance. And suppressing discussion only deepens public distrust.

From Inquiry to Action: What the Government Must Implement

This tragedy has prompted authorities to place a fundamental reassessment of Hong Kong’s building safety standards and construction practices, particularly the continued use of bamboo scaffolding, which remains prevalent in Hong Kong due to its low cost and flexibility. According to the Association for the Rights of Industrial Accident Victim, there have been at least 3 fire incidents involving bamboo scaffolding in Hong Kong this year.

To prevent incidents like this from happening again, community disaster preparedness is also a critical yet frequently overlooked aspect. Whether in new developments or refurbished buildings, more stringent life safety measures must be implemented. Such as comprehensive installation of automatic sprinkler systems and upgraded smoke detection systems. Urban planners must also incorporate evacuation efficiency into public space design considerations. This includes installing clear escape signage, strategically positioning fire hydrants, and ensuring emergency access routes remain unobstructed to secure time for rescue operations. Concurrently, residents’ capacity to respond to emergencies should also be enhanced through sustained public awareness campaigns, regular community fire drills, and systematic safety education.

Furthermore, the Hong Kong fire ultimately revealed not only its immediate causes: flammable materials, inadequate fire alarm systems, and unawareness in disaster responding, but also exposed deep-seated systemic issues that had existed long before the blaze. For over a year, residents had voiced concerns about materials and contractors’ construction; Inspectors made repeated visits and issued warnings, yet none of these interventions succeeded in breaking the vicious cycle that culminated in this fatal catastrophe. What the government must implement is a complete reformation not for the buildings but also the whole governance system, just as John Lee issued, “we must act seriously to ensure that all these loopholes are plugged.”

The flames at Wang Fuk Court have been extinguished, but Hong Kong society’s quest for truth and accountability is only just beginning.