Brief by Shorts91 Newsdesk / 04:39pm on 27 Nov 2025,Thursday International
At least 65 people died and over 300 remain missing in Hong Kong's deadliest fire in 77 years at Wang Fuk Court, Taipo. The Grade 5 blaze started in bamboo scaffolding and construction netting, spreading across seven of eight towers housing 4,600 residents. Authorities suggest substandard protective mesh and plastic, failing to meet fire standards, worsened the inferno. Police discovered sealed windows with foam material installed by maintenance contractors. The 1980s government-subsidized complex was undergoing lengthy renovation. Police arrested two directors and an engineering consultant on manslaughter suspicions for "gross negligence." Secretary Chris Tang noted non-compliant materials burned intensely and spread rapidly, causing uncontrollable fire.
