A devastating fire broke out Wednesday afternoon in the Wang Fuk Court public housing estate in Tai Po, Hong Kong, rapidly spreading across multiple high-rise buildings and claiming at least four lives. Several residents are still missing and feared trapped inside the heavily damaged towers, with rescue teams continuing to search the charred structures.
The blaze started shortly before 3 p.m. and escalated quickly, fueled by large amounts of bamboo scaffolding that enveloped the exterior of the buildings. Fire services raised the incident to a No. 4 alarm, the second-most serious level, deploying a large-scale response.
Tragically, one firefighter was among the dead, while two other people suffered life-threatening burns.More than 40 fire engines and ambulances were sent to the scene, where dense black smoke poured from the 31-storey blocks for hours. Affected residents were evacuated to temporary shelters, including Kwong Fuk Community Hall, and major roads around Tai Po were closed, disrupting traffic and bus services.
The government has extended condolences to the bereaved families and asked the public to stay away from the area as an investigation into the fire’s origin gets underway.
