At Least 65 Dead, Hundreds Still Missing As Fire Engulfs Hong Kong Tower Blocks - What Caused The Fire

Hong Kong Fire: A massive blaze tore through seven high-rise buildings at Wang Fuk Court, a large housing complex nestled in Hong Kong's Tai Po district, on Wednesday evening. The fire was first reported at 14:51 local time (12:21 pm IST), and as of now, 65 people have been killed and 70 others injured in the blaze, including 10 firefighters, confirms the city's Fire Services Department.

Viral Visuals Of Hong Kong Fire

Many people affected by the fire were left in devastating heartache after losing their loved ones and other possessions. Visuals of the Wang Fuk Court being razed down by fire immediately went viral on social media platforms.

Republican Ying Tan wrote on X, "It is heartbreaking to see Hong Kong experiencing a major housing estate fire affecting more than 4,600 residents. It has become global news, and even after 13 hours, it is still not under control. Sadly, 36 people have lost their lives, including a firefighter. Please keep them in your prayers and hope that this tragedy will come to an end soon."

Another internet user said, "The blaze shot up the maintenance netting within seconds, raising urgent questions about safety standards and cost-cutting during maintenance works. Families deserve answers. This was not an accident."

44 dead after fire ravages 7 high-rise buildings in Hong Kong, 3 arrested, death toll likely to go much higher pic.twitter.com/3sWxHP4Zx0 Shiv Aroor (@ShivAroor) November 27, 2025

What Cause The Fire?

The Wang Fuk Court have eight high-rise buildings with each tower consisting of 31 storeys. According to reports, this housing complex has a large population of elderly people. Unfortunately, Mui Siu-fung, Tai Po district councillor, told a leading media outlet that seven out of eight buildings were razed down overnight.

Firefighters who were deployed to the scene have warned of peculiarity. People are also speculating that the building was under renovation and a fire broke out that spread immediately. Andy Yeung, director of fire services, shared that his crew had spotted polystyrene boards blocking windows of multiple apartments. Yeung said, "These polystyrene boards are extremely inflammable and the fire spread very rapidly. Their presence was unusual so we have referred the incident to the police for further enquiries." Recently, the Hong Kong Fire Department has classified the blaze as a level five alarm in severity.