Hong Kong Building Fire Supplies outside a restaurant acting as a temporary shelter as a major fire engulfs several residential buildings on November 27, 2025 in Hong Kong. Photo: VCG

 
After a five-alarm fire broke out at Wang Fu Court in Tai Po in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR), resulting in at least 44 deaths, large numbers of residents had to be evacuated to community centers and halls with many warm-hearted neighbors in the district quickly offering to help, donating bottled water, biscuits, bread, clothing, and other supplies, according to local media reports.

As temperatures at the fire scene were extremely high—and conditions in two or three of the buildings were particularly severe—firefighters encountered intense heat as they entered the blocks to battle the blaze, according to a report by the local media Wei Wen Po. 

The Fire Services Communications Centre maintained contact with trapped residents, while firefighters continued strenuous efforts to break through to the upper floors. Authorities urged those still trapped to keep their doors and windows closed and to seal the edges with wet towels or tape, the media report said. 

The HKSAR government has opened a a number of temporary shelters for people in need such as Tai Wo Neighbourhood Community Centre at Tai Wo Estate and Tung Cheong Street Sports Centre on Tung Cheong Street, according to the HKSAR government's website on Wednesday. 

The fire broke out at Wang Fuk Court in Tai Po at 2:51 pm on Wednesday afternoon. It was upgraded to a No. 5 alarm at 6:22 pm. In the early hours of the Thursday morning, police arrested three local people on suspicion of manslaughter. The suspects are senior figures at the engineering firm responsible for maintenance work at the housing estate, according to local media reports. 

Police arrested three persons in charge of the engineering company, including two directors and an engineering consultant, aged between 52 and 68. A reporter at the scene saw one suspect, wearing a hood, being escorted away by officers, the reports said.

At Tai Po Community Centre, where some residents are staying temporarily due to the lack of suitable housing, a local district councilor Dominic Lee told the Global Times on Thursday that he is helping the residents in registration, resource distribution, and medication provision. 

"Some residents are long-term patients whose medicines were left at home, so the Hospital Authority has coordinated the delivery of their medications through social services to the shelters," Lee said. 

A number of residents and volunteers have also been assisting with relief efforts, and many young people spontaneously came to deliver and organize supplies, including bedding, portable chargers, and other essentials, Lee said. 

"Overall, the situation remains stable while authorities await government announcements on formal resettlement plans. Given the severity of the damage, some residents may be unable to return home for an extended period and could require long-term relocation or rebuilding," he said. 

Currently, the shelters accommodate around 100 residents, Lee said. 

There were around 300 to 400 people had been accommodated temporarily at CCC Fung Leung Kit Memorial Secondary School on Wednesday evening, where two registration queues were set up on-site: one for affected residents and the other for families of missing or uncontactable individuals. Evacuated residents were later transferred in batches to the Tung Cheong Street Community Hall, according to the Sing Tao Headline. 

In the aftermath of the disaster, heartwarming scenes quickly went viral online, touching people across Hong Kong. When one is in trouble, help comes from all sides: large numbers of caring citizens spontaneously rushed to the scene to transport supplies, even forming human chains to pass them along, showing the victims through their actions that "you are not alone."

At CCC Fung Leung Kit Memorial Secondary School, besides a large number of government personnel, dozens of volunteers from various places were also present. Some volunteers delivered supplies, while others sorted them on-site, organizing bags of clothing and bedding, local media Ming Po reported. 

Lai Siu-chung, director of Kowloon Motor Bus Branch of the Hong Kong Motor Transport Workers General Union, told the Global Times on Thursday that the union has already reached out to affected colleagues and inquired with the company about any staff impacted by the incident. The number of affected employees is not believed to be large, but some may be unable to report for work today.

Also, photos and videos circulating on social media show dozens of residents move supplies at the Tai Po Tung Cheong Sports Centre. Eyewitnesses online commented, "Tai Po residents are so united and efficient—everyone responds immediately when called upon," Sing Tao Daily reported. 

In the footage, a truck carrying various relief supplies is parked by the roadside, while dozens of people stand shoulder to shoulder, passing bags of materials hand to hand, according to Sing Tao Daily.

This rare and devastating fire has gripped not only the residents of Hong Kong, but also the hearts of people in the mainland. 

The Red Cross Society of China donated 2 million yuan to the Hong Kong Red Cross to support emergency rescue and humanitarian relief efforts, and will provide further assistance as needed based on the disaster response, China Central Television reported on Thursday.