Tai Po: A ferocious blaze tearing through the Wang Fuk Court residential complex in Tai Po has plunged Hong Kong into one of its darkest emergencies in recent memory, with 13 people confirmed dead and rescue work growing increasingly treacherous as night descended on the city. The fire, which broke out on Wednesday and rapidly engulfed multiple high-rise towers, triggered a full-scale mobilization of emergency resources, overwhelming the densely populated estate that houses nearly 2,000 apartments under the government’s subsidized home-ownership scheme.
The scale of the disaster prompted authorities to elevate the situation to a No. 5 alarm, Hong Kong’s highest fire alert classification. More than 700 firefighters and medical personnel have been deployed to the sprawling complex, working through punishing heat, thick smoke, and collapsing bamboo scaffolding that had been erected for ongoing building renovations. Officials confirmed that over 100 fire engines and 57 ambulances are involved in the massive response effort, while nearly 700 residents have already been moved into emergency shelters as conditions inside the towers worsen with every passing hour.
Compounding the tragedy, the city’s Fire Services Department reported the death of a frontline firefighter, Officer Ho, who lost his life while attempting to reach trapped residents on an upper floor. According to Fire Services Chief Andy Yeung, Ho was discovered unresponsive near an elevator lobby inside Hung Cheong Court, a block within the burning complex. Despite immediate first aid and prolonged CPR, he was pronounced dead less than an hour later. Authorities have offered full psychological and welfare support to his grieving family, describing his death as a heartbreaking reminder of the extreme risks faced by rescuers.
The situation on the ground remains fluid and chaotic, with authorities revising casualty figures throughout the day. While initial reports suggested up to 15 injuries, the number has since been clarified to 15 people wounded, including several firefighters, with three in critical condition due to severe burns and one reported as seriously injured. Officials admit they cannot confirm how many individuals remain inside the burning towers, as intense heat, plummeting visibility, and structural instability have made deeper entry increasingly difficult. Some rescue teams have withdrawn from certain sections due to fears of collapse or sudden flare-ups.
Residents who fled the burning blocks recounted scenes of panic, describing how flames shot up the sides of the scaffold-covered towers, trapping people inside apartments and stairwells. Thick smoke poured through corridors, forcing families to escape barefoot and disoriented as firefighters battled to carve safe evacuation paths. Many of the buildings undergoing renovation were wrapped in bamboo scaffolding, which firefighters say may have acted as a vertical channel for the flames, accelerating the spread and trapping heat at upper levels.
As Hong Kong faces a long, uncertain night, authorities warn that stabilizing the situation will take time, with worsening weather and darkness further complicating the firefight. Emergency teams continue to work relentlessly in rotating shifts, but officials acknowledge that the full extent of the disaster including final casualty numbers may not be known until daylight. For now, the city watches anxiously as its rescuers confront one of the most devastating residential fires in decades, fighting not only a towering inferno but the grim possibility of further loss.