This frame grab from AFPTV video footage shows Derek Armstrong Chan, deputy director (operations) of the Hong Kong Fire Services Department, speaking to media amid ongoing operations to control a major fire at the Wang Fuk Court residential estate in Hong Kong's Tai Po district on November 26, 2025. Photo: VCG

The Fire Services Department of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) deployed eight hose lines, seven aerial ladder trucks, 22 search teams, 128 fire engines, 57 ambulances, and 767 fire and ambulance staff for the rescue operation as local departments spared no effort in rescue work in a fire broke out at Wang Fuk Court in Tai Po that claimed at least 13 lives as of Wednesday evening. 

Fire services estimated that strong winds and burning debris from the bamboo scaffolding spread to other buildings, causing the fire to extend across seven blocks of the housing estate, Deputy Chief Fire Officer (Headquarters) Derek Armstrong Chan said at an on-site press conference on Wednesday, local media Sing Tao Daily reported. 

Currently, the situation in two to three of the buildings is particularly severe. Due to extremely high temperatures at the scene, firefighters have not yet been able to reach certain floors, he said. 

The first building to catch fire covered an area of approximately 27 meters by 21 meters. It is a 32-storey residential building with external scaffolding erected for maintenance, according to the press conference. 

When firefighters arrived to carry out firefighting and rescue operations, they found that the external scaffolding was already burning, with signs that the fire was spreading into residential units and to other buildings. At 3:02 pm, the fire alarm level was raised to No 3, but the blaze continued, and conditions on site were extremely harsh, with burning scaffolding constantly falling. The alarm was further raised to No. 4 at 3:34 pm, according to local media report. 

By the evening, the fire service continued receiving multiple calls for assistance as the blaze persisted. The fire was upgraded to No. 5 at 6:22 pm. In total, eight fire hoses and seven hydraulic platforms were deployed, and 767 personnel were mobilized for the rescue operation. 

As of the press time, the fire has claimed 13 lives and left 28 injured, according to CCTV. Hong Kong local media reported the deceased include a firefighter.

The HKSAR Fire Services Department said that it received a report at 2:51 pm of a fire erupting at Tai Po's Wang Fuk Court, and elevated the fire to a fifth-alarm at 6:22 pm, local media TVB News reported on Wednesday.

On-site observations indicate that the scaffolding and perimeter netting had caught fire, with embers drifting to adjacent buildings, which is suspected to have contributed to the spread of the flames, TVB News reported.

During the press conference, Chan revealed that conditions remain severe in two to three residential blocks at the scene. There are still people seeking help from upper floors, but due to extremely high temperatures, firefighters have been unable to reach them. They are currently maintaining communication with those requesting assistance. 

Aerial ladder trucks are also spraying water to reduce temperatures. Each burning building has a Senior Divisional Officer assigned to lead the rescue operation. For the one building in the estate that has not caught fire, firefighters have been deployed to the rooftop to set up water protection lines and spray water toward adjacent blocks, according to local media reports.