LONDON — At the very least 36 individuals have been killed and lots of reported lacking after a large fireplace engulfed a residential house advanced in Hong Kong’s Tai Po district on Wednesday, officers stated.
The hearth broke out at Wang Fuk Court docket shortly earlier than 3 p.m. native time Wednesday and was upgraded to a No. 5 alarm, metropolis officers stated.
The blaze is now “progressively underneath management,” Hong Kong chief John Lee stated throughout a press briefing early Thursday native time. He added that the director of the fireplace companies assured him the division has adequate manpower and sources to manage and extinguish the fireplace.
Wong 71, reacts whereas saying his spouse was trapped inside Wang Fuk Court docket throughout a serious fireplace, in Tai Po, Hong Kong, China, November 26, 2025.
Tyrone Siu/Reuters
Individuals have a look at flames engulfing a constructing after a fireplace broke out at Wang Fuk Court docket, a residential property within the Tai Po district of Hong Kong’s New Territories, Nov. 26 2025.
Chan Lengthy Hei/AP
At the very least 36 individuals have been lifeless, in line with Lee, because the dying toll continued to rise within the hours for the reason that fireplace began.
Over two dozen have been injured, together with many who have been transferred to 2 native hospitals, fireplace officers stated.
Some 279 individuals have been reported lacking, Lee stated.
Firefighters work as efforts are underway to extinguish flames engulfing bamboo scaffolding throughout a number of buildings on the Wang Fuk Court docket housing property in Tai Po, Hong Kong, China, Nov. 26, 2025.
Tyrone Siu/Reuters
One of many lifeless was a firefighter who had been known as to the scene from close by Sha Tin Fireplace Station, in line with Andy Yeung, the director of Fireplace Companies.
Yeung in an announcement named the firefighter as Ho Wai-ho, 37, including he “was discovered collapsed on the scene” of the fireplace. He was rushed to the hospital, the place he later died, Yeung stated.
Thick smoke and flames rise as a serious fireplace engulfs a number of house blocks on the Wang Fuk Court docket residential property in Hong Kong’s Tai Po district on November 26, 2025.
Yan Zhao/AFP by way of Getty Photographs
Firefighters work to extinguish a fireplace which broke out at Wang Fuk Court docket, a residential property within the Tai Po district of Hong Kong’s New Territories, Nov. 26 2025.
Chan Lengthy Hei/AP
“The hearth has resulted in lots of casualties, together with a fireman who died within the line of obligation,” Lee stated in an earlier assertion posted to social media. “I categorical my deep disappointment and my deep condolences to the households of the lifeless and the injured.”
Secretary for Safety Tang Ping-keung stated the fireplace division was “doing its utmost to place out the fireplace,” he stated.
Greater than 140 fireplace engines and over 800 firefighters and paramedics have been deployed to place out this hearth, with drones additionally in use, officers stated.
An house burns in Tai Po in Hong Kong, China, November 26, 2025.
Leung Man Hei/EPA/Shutterstock
Chinese language President Xi Jinping expressed his condolences sympathies to the victims’ households and people affected in an announcement. He stated he ordered authorities to “do every part potential to make sure search and rescue operations, medical remedy for the injured, and post-disaster reduction, and to offer crucial help to related departments and native authorities to attenuate casualties and losses.”
ABC Information’ Joe Simonetti and Karson Yiu contributed to this report.
