Local firefighters work to put out a huge fire that engulfs a residential area in the Tai Po area of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) on November 26, 2025. At least 36 people were killed by the accident and due to the fierce blaze, the Fire Services Department of the HKSAR government raised the alert to No.5 alarm. Photo: VCG

Chinese President Xi Jinping on Wednesday extended condolences over a deadly residential building fire in Hong Kong, the Xinhua News Agency reported.

Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, expressed sympathy to the families of the victims and those affected by the disaster. He urged all-out efforts to extinguish the fire and minimize casualties and losses.

A No. 5 alarm fire occurred at Wang Fuk Court in Tai Po,  according to local media reports. 

The fire has so far claimed at least 36 lives and left 279 people missing as of 1:20 am on Thursday, John Lee, Chief Executive of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR), told at a press conference on early Thursday. The massive fire was gradually brought under control, he told the conference.  

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 personnel for the rescue operation as local departments spared no effort in rescue work after the fire broke out at 2.51 pm on Wednesday. 

Fire services estimated that strong winds and burning debris from the bamboo scaffolding that enveloped the towers 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.

A woman in her 60s surnamed Chan, is one of the affected residents living nearby. She is currently unable to return home, she told the Global Times on Wednesday. 

She has lived in the area for more than 10 years, and the rest of her family members are safe. For now, all she can do is wait for the lockdown to be lifted so she can return to her unit, Chan said. 

"Government departments have been continuously providing supplies at the scene, such as food and drinks. In addition, some of the affected residents have already been relocated to nearby transitional housing provided by the government," she said. 

A tourist surnamed Tian from the Chinese mainland happened to pass by the fire scene on Wednesday. He told the Global Times that aside from the splashing sounds of water hoses dousing the scorched buildings, all he could hear were the incessant sirens and the wailing of fire engines rushing back and forth. 

"Everyone on-site basically understood that these buildings were beyond saving. You could clearly feel what it means for 'a cup of water to put out a cartload of fire,' and how the flames were being fueled by the wind," he said. 

All-out rescue 

HKSAR Chief Executive John Lee said he was deeply saddened that the fire at Wang Fuk Court in Tai Po caused multiple deaths and injuries, including the passing of fire service personnel on duty. He extended his deepest condolences to the families of the deceased and the injured, according to a statement on the HKSAR government's website. 

The Home Affairs Department, District Offices and Social Welfare Department have set up interdepartmental help desks, arranged for the residents in need to move to temporary shelters, and provided assistance and mental support to the families of the deceased and the injured, according to the statement. The Hospital Authority has also activated emergency mechanism to make every effort to save and care for the injured.

Due to the fire, the Education Bureau of the HKSAR has announced that several schools in the district will suspend classes on Thursday because of the fire and the resulting road blockages and traffic disruptions, local media RTHK reported. 

Eunice Chan Hau-man, Tai Po District Officer, was quoted as saying in a report by dotdot news that after the fire, Tai Po District Office opened five community halls and also made use of two social service agencies, as well as using transitional housing as temporary shelters for residents in need. 

The District Office also arranged shuttle buses to transport the affected residents. A secondary school near Wang Fuk Court was also designated as a temporary evacuation site. Currently, the shelters are accommodating over 700 people, according to local media reports. 

This rare and devastating fire has gripped not only the residents of Hong Kong, but also internet users on the mainland.

The "Hong Kong fire" climbed to the top of the Chinese social media platform Weibo trending list on Wednesday night, as users expressed their hopes for people's safety. One netizen commented, "… It must be especially helpless for those on the upper floors. Hong Kong's weather is dry and windy, so we really need to be extra careful with fire and electricity safety. Fire and water show no mercy. I hope there will be fewer casualties - may everyone stay safe."

The Global Times also found that the official website of the Hong Kong Fire Services Department has switched to black and white, and its Facebook page has likewise changed its profile picture and cover photo to black and white.