A search-and-rescue operation stretched into a second day on Thursday as Hong Kong firefighters combed through the charred remains of multiple residential towers in Tai Po, where a devastating blaze claimed at least 55 lives and left more than 250 residents unaccounted for.
The fire, which broke out on Wednesday inside Wang Fuk Court—an eight-block housing estate of around 2,000 apartments—quickly escalated into Hong Kong’s deadliest blaze in decades. Residents described a scene of panic and confusion, with many saying they never heard a fire alarm and had to alert neighbours manually.
“It spread so quickly,” said a resident surnamed Suen, who recalled seeing only a single hose trained on several burning buildings. “We were knocking on doors, ringing bells, shouting for people to get out.”
Massive flames lit up the night sky as sections of scaffolding collapsed, sending showers of sparks downward while smoke poured through broken windows. By Thursday afternoon, firefighters were still battling hotspots, with some flats continuing to glow from within.
The disaster stunned the densely populated city, prompting spontaneous acts of solidarity. Crowds gathered near the complex to offer clothing, meals, and supplies to displaced families and exhausted first responders. Flyers bearing photographs and names of missing residents dotted the area, handed out by loved ones in desperate search of information.
Chinese President Xi Jinping expressed condolences to grieving families, including that of a firefighter who died during rescue efforts. Hong Kong’s Chief Executive John Lee said he was “deeply saddened,” adding that government agencies were fully mobilised to support survivors.
Investigators have begun examining how the fire spread so fiercely and so rapidly. Authorities said they were looking into whether bamboo scaffolding and the plastic mesh surrounding several blocks due to ongoing renovation work may have helped fuel the flames. Hong Kong’s anti-corruption watchdog also launched an inquiry into the renovation project, while police arrested three men for allegedly leaving foam packaging materials at the site.
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By Thursday afternoon, fire crews had fully extinguished blazes in four buildings and brought three more under control, while one block remained untouched. Some residents from adjoining buildings were allowed to return home after precautionary evacuations.
Deadly fires were once common in Hong Kong’s highly concentrated neighbourhoods, but improved safety standards have sharply reduced such tragedies in recent decades. Wednesday’s inferno, however, has revived longstanding concerns about fire safety in packed high-rise estates—especially those undergoing construction.
As rescue teams continued their grim search through the blackened towers, the city braced for the possibility that the death toll could rise further, deepening the heartbreak of a catastrophe that has shaken Hong Kong to its core.