What happened at Wang Fuk Court? • The fire started on Wednesday afternoon in one of the eight towers of Wang Fuk Court, a 1980s public housing estate in Hong Kong’s Tai Po district near the mainland China border. • Flames spread rapidly up the building exterior, fueled by bamboo scaffolding and construction netting used for ongoing renovation works, before jumping across seven of the complex’s eight towers. • It took more than 24 hours and over a thousand firefighters to fully extinguish the blaze, with smoke and flare-ups still visible even after the main fire was under control. Authorities have confirmed that at least 128 people have died, with many more still missing and dozens being treated in hospitals. Among the injured are at least 12 firefighters, and one firefighter has been confirmed dead, highlighting the extreme conditions inside the towers. Source : BBC The human toll: deaths, injuries and missing • Official figures show at least 128 confirmed deaths, surpassing a 1996 Kowloon commercial building fire that killed 41, making this Hong Kong’s deadliest blaze in decades. • Around 79 people are reported injured, including 12 firefighters; some victims remain in serious condition. • Roughly 200 residents are still unaccounted for, and nearly 900 people have been evacuated to temporary shelters as identification and tracing efforts continue. Security officials say only a fraction of the dead have been formally identified, partly because many bodies were recovered from badly burned upper floors where temperatures remained extremely high. Several families have shared stories of rushing back to the complex, calling relatives repeatedly with no answer, and searching shelter centres and hospitals in the hope of finding loved ones alive. Source : BBC How and why the fire spread so fastEarly investigations suggest that the fire likely began on or around external scaffolding before spreading vertically and laterally along bamboo poles and plastic construction netting. Strong winds in the Tai Po district accelerated the spread, driving flames up the façade and across the gaps between towers. Key physical factors included: • Bamboo scaffolding: Widely used in Hong Kong, bamboo burns quickly and can act as a ladder for flames if not protected by fire-resistant barriers. • Construction netting and materials: Plastic nets, coverings, and stored renovation materials can release intense heat and toxic smoke once ignited. • High-rise vertical stack: In a 32‑storey tower, vertical shafts, balconies, and external features can create chimney effects that pull flames upwards in minutes. Residents and experts note that these risk factors are not unique to Wang Fuk Court and can be found in many older estates undergoing external repairs, especially where large sections are wrapped in scaffolding and netting. Source : BBC Fire alarms that failed when needed mostOne of the most shocking findings so far is that alarm systems across all eight towers were reportedly malfunctioning at the time of the fire. Officials and residents have highlighted several failures: • Fire services investigators say the alarm systems in all blocks were not functioning properly, meaning residents received no automatic warning as flames spread. • Survivors describe learning about the fire only after seeing smoke in corridors or being alerted by neighbours knocking on doors. • With alarms silent, evacuation began late on many floors, trapping people in flats or stairwells filled with smoke and extreme heat. Hong Kong’s Fire Services Department normally requires functioning detection and alarm systems, and even issues specific instructions for temporary measures if alarms are shut down during maintenance, such as standalone alarms and additional patrols. Investigators are now examining whether these requirements were ignored or inadequately implemented at Wang Fuk Court while major renovation works were underway. Source : BBC Arrests, investigation and accountabilityLaw enforcement agencies have moved quickly to focus on the renovation works and building management. • Police have arrested several people linked to the construction company responsible for the renovation, including directors and an engineering consultant, on suspicion of offences such as manslaughter or corruption related to safety compliance. • Officials have indicated that more arrests may follow as they examine contracts, inspection records, and any cost-cutting decisions that might have compromised safety. • A special task force is gathering evidence from the towers, reviewing CCTV footage, and reconstructing the sequence of events from the first signs of fire to the collapse of alarm and evacuation systems. Security Secretary Chris Tang has emphasized that while rescue operations are now over, the search for accountability is just beginning and could lead to both criminal charges and systemic reforms. Source : BBC Hong Kong’s broader fire safety challengesThis disaster comes after years of concerns about fire safety in older Hong Kong buildings. • Following a 2024 fire at New Lucky House in Jordan that killed five people and injured dozens, authorities launched an intensified inspection campaign focusing on high‑risk, ageing properties. • By mid‑2025, more than 8,600 Fire Hazard Abatement Notices had been issued after inspections of 1,000 high‑risk buildings, and over 90% of those orders were eventually complied with. • A 2024 amendment to the Fire Safety (Buildings) Ordinance allowed the government to step in and carry out fire safety works directly when owners failed to act, targeting especially “three‑nil buildings” with no owners’ corporation, no management company and no residents’ association. Despite these initiatives, the Wang Fuk Court tragedy shows that even public or quasi-public housing estates under active renovation can fall through the cracks if alarm maintenance, scaffolding safety and evacuation planning are not rigorously supervised. Source : BBC Real-world parallels from other high-rise firesUrban fire experts point out that the Wang Fuk Court disaster echoes other high‑rise fires worldwide where combinations of flammable external materials, system failures and delayed evacuation proved deadly. • In London’s 2017 Grenfell Tower fire, combustible cladding and inadequate evacuation guidance contributed to 72 deaths, prompting major reforms in façade materials and building checks across the UK. • In previous Hong Kong incidents, such as the 1996 Garley Building fire and more recent commercial and residential fires, investigations have often highlighted blocked escape routes, outdated wiring, and inadequate alarm or sprinkler systems. These cases reinforce a common pattern: where safety systems are missing, disabled or ignored, even a single spark can turn a tall building into a vertical trap. Source : BBC Why alarms matter in high-rise safetyFire safety research consistently finds that early detection and warning can drastically cut fatalities. • Statistical studies of Hong Kong fire incidents show that delayed alarm activation and false-alarm fatigue contribute to higher casualty rates in dense urban buildings. • International fire engineering guidelines for tall buildings emphasise layered protection: reliable alarms, protected escape routes, fire-resistant façades, and active systems like sprinklers and smoke control. In high‑rise complexes with elderly residents like Wang Fuk Court, early alarms are even more critical because many occupants move slowly or require assistance, making late evacuations especially dangerous. What this means for residents and cities.For residents across Hong Kong, the images of charred towers and smoke‑blackened corridors have triggered fresh fears about living in ageing high‑rise estates surrounded by scaffolding. Community groups and housing advocates are now demanding clearer public information on the status of alarm systems, evacuation plans and renovation safety for every estate under major works. For other high‑density cities worldwide, the tragedy underlines several lessons. Authorities, building managers and contractors need to: • Treat alarm maintenance as non‑negotiable, especially during renovation, with documented tests and backup measures whenever systems are offline. • Regulate or phase out highly flammable scaffolding and façade materials, or offset them with strict fire barriers and compartmentation standards. • Run frequent evacuation drills and communication campaigns so residents know stair locations, refuge floors and what to do if alarms fail or smoke blocks exits. Disclaimer : All information is based on reputable news sources available at the time of writing; details may change as authorities release new updates, and readers are advised to follow official statements for the latest information.