13 Killed as Fire Engulfs Hong Kong Residential Buildings

A massive fire engulfed seven high-rise residential buildings in Hong Kong’s Tai Po district, killing 13 people and injuring at least 15

sarah

Nov 26, 2025 - 21:28

13 Killed as Fire Engulfs Hong Kong Residential Buildings

HONG KONG (AP) — A fire has engulfed seven high-rise apartment buildings in a Hong Kong housing complex, killing 13 people and leaving some others trapped. It is the city's deadliest fire in years.

Officials told reporters that nine people were pronounced dead at the scene, and four others were later confirmed dead after being rushed to the hospital. At least 15 others were injured, and about 700 people have been evacuated to temporary shelters.

A massive fire that broke out on bamboo scaffolding and construction netting outside the housing complex in the Tai Po district of the New Territories quickly spread, sending a plume of flames and thick smoke. Records show the housing complex comprised eight buildings with approximately 2,000 apartments, housing approximately 4,800 people.

Several buildings caught fire near each other, and by nightfall, flames and smoke were pouring from the windows of many apartments. Officials said hundreds of firefighters, police officers, and paramedics were deployed. Firefighters poured water on the raging flames from ladder trucks.

The Fire Services Department said the fire broke out in the afternoon, and officials raised it to a Level 5 alarm, the highest severity level, after nightfall. The fire continued to burn late into the night, and officials said conditions remained extremely difficult for firefighters.

Deputy Director of Fire Services (Operations) Derek Armstrong Chan said, "Debris and scaffolding from the affected buildings are falling down." "The temperature inside the buildings in question is very high. It is difficult for us to enter the buildings and go upstairs to extinguish and carry out rescue operations."

The cause of the fire was not immediately known. Officials said it started on the exterior scaffolding of a building and later spread inside and to neighboring buildings, possibly due to strong winds. The department said they received "numerous" calls for help, and some people remained trapped as of Wednesday night.

Firefighters dispatched 128 fire trucks and 57 ambulances to the scene.

Fire Services Department Director Andy Yeung said one firefighter was among the dead, and another was being treated for heat exhaustion.

Chinese leader Xi Jinping on Wednesday offered condolences to the deceased firefighter and sympathized with the families of the victims, according to the state broadcaster. He also urged all efforts to minimize casualties and damage.

Taipo District Council member Lo Hiu-fung told a local TV station on Wednesday that most of the people trapped in the fire appeared to be elderly.

District authorities in Taipo have opened temporary shelters for those displaced by the fire.

"I've given up thinking about my property," said one resident, Wu, who gave only his surname. "It was really frustrating to see it burn like that." Tai Po is a suburban area in the New Territories, located in the northern part of Hong Kong and bordering Shenzhen, a major Chinese city.

Bamboo scaffolding is common in building construction and renovation projects in Hong Kong, although the government said earlier this year that it would gradually phase it out for public projects due to safety concerns.

This fire is the deadliest fire in Hong Kong in years. In November 1996, a blaze in a commercial building in Kowloon raged for nearly 20 hours, killing 41 people and reaching a level 5 alarm.