Police arrest three tied to the renovation as officials probe how exterior netting and materials fueled the spread.
HONG KONG — Firefighters and police teams fanned out across the Wang Fuk Court estate on Thursday, combing burned corridors and stairwells after a fast-moving blaze killed dozens and left many residents missing. The operation shifted from exterior suppression to painstaking interior searches while families waited in school gyms and district offices for word of loved ones.
The fire, which ignited Wednesday afternoon, is among the city’s deadliest in modern times, striking a cluster of 31-story towers under renovation in the New Territories. Officials activated an interdepartmental command post, opened shelters, and appealed for families to use a registration hotline so investigators can reconcile missing-person reports. With the toll climbing, Chief Executive John Lee pledged a full inquiry. Authorities say they are examining how bamboo scaffolding, plastic-mesh netting, and sealants may have turned the building exteriors into fuel ladders.
Residents described choking smoke, darkened hallways, and blocked lifts as they navigated down stairwells guided by phone lights. Several said flames licked past their windows before alarms sounded. A senior fire officer said crews encountered “immediate vertical spread along the facade,” forcing exterior ladder rescues while interior teams cut through locked fire doors and debris. By early Thursday, officials said the fire was largely contained; firefighters then rotated to search lines equipped with thermal cameras and breathing apparatus, moving methodically across floors.
Police announced the arrests of three men connected to the site’s contractor on suspicion of manslaughter. Detectives seized work permits, subcontractor lists, and CCTV from loading bays and service lobbies. The Fire Services Department collected samples of netting, foam, and fasteners for lab tests. Hospitals reported dozens injured, including people treated for smoke inhalation and burns; several remained in critical condition. At least one firefighter died in the response, according to officials, and a full accounting of those unaccounted for could take days as records are reconciled with shelter rosters.
Wang Fuk Court, a public housing estate housing thousands, was undergoing exterior maintenance common across Hong Kong, where bamboo scaffolding remains widely used. Engineers said the combination of wind, vertical shafts formed by air-conditioner platforms, and combustible netting can create “chimney effects” that drive flames upward. Past tragedies in the region have spurred stricter codes on cladding and exterior works; the inquiry here is expected to test whether temporary protections, hot-work rules, and waste-management plans were followed. Housing officials began citywide checks of active scaffolding sites and advised managers to review their fire watches and material storage areas.
Inside a makeshift shelter, volunteers labeled tables for registration, medical checks, and counseling. On the wall, handwritten lists tracked people moved to hospitals overnight. “We’ve called every number we can,” said Lau Hiu-yan, holding a folder of documents for her missing aunt. Outside the estate, ground teams worked under taped-off canopies as boom ladders cooled hot spots on mid-level floors. In courtyards, melted plastic and charred window frames lay among ash; up above, sections of mesh hung in tatters from bamboo poles bending away from the facades.
Officials said they will brief the public again Friday with an updated toll and findings from initial inspections. The investigation will chart ignition points, wind conditions, material composition, and compliance with permit requirements. Coroner’s proceedings will follow identifications. Housing authorities said displaced families will be offered temporary flats, and insurers and banks announced relief measures. City engineers said they will issue guidance to renovation sites pending the inquiry’s recommendations and any emergency orders.
Author note: Last updated November 27, 2025.