A fire of enormous proportions once again put Hong Kong on alert, where at least four people were killed and eight injured after a blaze broke out in the Wang Fuk Court residential complex, located in the Tai Po district in the north of the city. Authorities described a chaotic scene in which the flames spread through the bamboo scaffolding installed on the facade, quickly reaching several buildings.
Police, quoted by the local press, confirmed that, in addition to the dead, there were people trapped inside the three affected blocks, which forced emergency teams to act against the clock. The fire advanced with such virulence that the authorities raised its severity to level 4 on a scale of 1 to 5, an indicator of situations of great danger and rapid expansion.
Bamboo scaffolding at the center of the disaster
Images shared on networks and local media showed a dense column of smoke, pieces of the scaffolding collapsing and residents fleeing as they covered their faces to avoid inhaling the thick smoke. According to early reports, the fire started on the multi-story exterior scaffolding, initially classified as a level 1 alarm, but escalated to level 4 at 15:34 local time.
At least four people have died and several others were injured after a major fire broke out at Wang Fuk Court in Tai Po, Hong Kong, today.
The blaze spread quickly along bamboo scaffolding surrounding the residential blocks.pic.twitter.com/82pVeN0FoK
– Volcaholic 🌋 (@volcaholic1) November 26, 2025
This type of structure, traditional in Hong Kong due to its light weight and low cost, is once again under scrutiny after a series of similar incidents in recent months.
One firefighter among the deceased
The director of the Fire Services, Andy Yeung Yan-kin, went to the Prince of Wales Hospital after it was learned that one of the firefighters had been injured while fighting the blaze. Shortly afterwards, it was confirmed that the firefighter was one of the four fatalities, along with three residents of the complex, according to the provisional balance sheet released at 17:00 local time.
The tragedy also comes under a red fire danger alert issued by the Hong Kong Observatory, which has been warning since Monday of an extremely high risk due to environmental conditions such as dryness, wind speed and low humidity.
A complex undergoing a million-dollar renovation
The fire hits Wang Fuk Court at a particularly sensitive time: the development was undergoing a renovation process valued at 330 million Hong Kong dollars ( about $42 million, 36.6 million euros). The proposal had already generated discontent among residents last year because of its cost and impact.
This is a gigantic complex, with 1,984 homes and about 4,000 residents, raising the level of concern about the possibility of a larger-scale disaster.
A major fire broke out this afternoon and is still burning at Wang Fuk Court in Tai Po, Hong Kong, China.
At least 4 people have died, and several others – including firefighters – have been injured. pic.twitter.com/EgidZV07zC
– Weather Monitor (@WeatherMonitors) November 26, 2025
The strength of the fire also affected the surrounding area. The Tai Po Baptist Public School, located near the block, advised parents to avoid the area due to the risk of smoke and the transit of emergency crews.
A repeating pattern: scaffolding-related fires
The incident follows a recent string of construction and scaffolding fires in Hong Kong. Last October, a fire broke out on scaffolding outside the Chinachem Tower, forcing the evacuation of dozens of people and leaving four hospitalized.
Video shows frequent explosions and scaffolding fire at Hung Fuk Court in Tai Po district of Hong Kong, China, many people trapped. – local media pic.twitter.com/Q20tgPFdG3
– AZ Intel (@AZ_Intel_) November 26, 2025
Department of Buildings authorities then confirmed the structural integrity of the building, although they identified the presence of loose materials on the façade that required immediate removal. That renovation used “standard protective coverings, netting and tarps,” and although the fire was limited to the façade without penetrating the interior, it sparked a debate about the vulnerability of these systems.
In this case, experts pointed to welding sparks or cigarette butts as possible triggers, a scenario compatible with the high urban density and dry climate conditions that characterize the region.
Hong Kong facing a structural problem
Fires linked to bamboo scaffolding, a construction tradition maintained for economic and logistical reasons, have exposed constant vulnerabilities in recent years. Recurrent factors include:
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the use of flammable materials,
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reliance on temporary structures for large-scale works,
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drought and wind conditions,
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and the presence of external ignition sources in densely populated environments.
The Tai Po fire is once again putting pressure on local authorities, who will have to review regulations and safety protocols in a context in which urban renewal is advancing rapidly, but not always with homogeneous standards.
