A fire can be seen at Wang Fuk Court, a residential estate in the Tai Po district of Hong Kong's New Territories, on November 27, 2025. Photo: VCG

The deadly residential fire at Wang Fuk Court in Tai Po in Hong Kong last November was possibly caused by a lit cigarette end igniting combustible materials, according to the latest investigation report.

The report said that, based on the available evidence, the fire is believed to have originated from a platform outside two units. The area was piled with up to 2 meters of debris, including safety nets and foam boards used to cover windows, the Xinhua News Agency reported on Sunday.

The report concluded that the blaze was highly likely an accidental fire caused by a cigarette butt igniting combustible materials at the site. The exact time of ignition could not be determined, but witness statements and CCTV footage suggested that the fire may have started between 2:30 pm and 2:43 pm that afternoon, according to Xinhua.

On the afternoon of November 26, 2025, a fire broke out in multiple residential blocks at Wang Fuk Court in Tai Po, resulting in heavy casualties. In December of the same year, Hong Kong Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu announced the establishment of an independent committee to examine the causes of the fire, determine accountability and make recommendations to prevent similar incidents in the future.

Global Times