4 dead as fire razes high-rise buildings in Hong Kong

A huge fire engulfed several high-rise blocks in a Hong Kong residential estate on Wednesday, November 26, 2025, killing no fewer than four people.

It was gathered that some residents were trapped inside.

Massive flames first took hold on bamboo scaffolding on several apartment blocks of the Wang Fuk Court estate in Tai Po, a district in the northern part of the Chinese financial hub, before spreading to other parts of the buildings.

Police said they had received reports of residents trapped in buildings, according to Hong Kong media reports.

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However, officers at the scene told AFP on the condition of anonymity that they were unable to confirm whether there were still residents stuck in the buildings by nightfall, adding that “firefighters aren’t able to go in”.

Hong Kong has some of the world’s most densely populated and tallest apartment blocks.

However, safety measures have been ramped up in recent decades, and such fires have become much less commonplace.

The Star