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At least 13 dead as massive fire engulfs Hong Kong high-rise apartment buildings
LONDON — At least 13 people were killed and dozens of others were injured as a massive fire engulfed a residential apartment complex in Hong Kong’s Tai Po district on Wednesday, according to fire officials.
“A fire broke out at Wang Fuk Court in Tai Po at 2.51 p.m. today … The fire was upgraded to No. 3 alarm at 3.02 p.m., and to No. 4 alarm at 3.34 p.m.,” according to a statement from the Hong Kong government.
Tyrone Siu/Reuters – PHOTO: Wong 71, reacts after claiming his wife is trapped inside Wang Fuk Court during a major fire, in Tai Po, Hong Kong, China, Nov. 26, 2025.
By 6:22 p.m. local time the fire had been upgraded again to a No. 5 alarm, city officials said.
Chan Long Hei/AP – PHOTO: People look at flames engulfing a building after a fire broke out at Wang Fuk Court, a residential estate in the Tai Po district of Hong Kong’s New Territories, Nov. 26 2025.
At least 13 people were dead, fire officials said in an update at about 8 p.m. local time. About two hours earlier, city officials had released a statement saying at least four people were dead.
Another 28 people were injured, including many who were transferred to two local hospitals, fire officials said.
Tyrone Siu/Reuters – PHOTO: Firefighters work as efforts are underway to extinguish flames engulfing bamboo scaffolding across multiple buildings at the Wang Fuk Court housing estate in Tai Po, Hong Kong, China, Nov. 26, 2025.
One of the dead had been a firefighter who was called to the scene from nearby Sha Tin Fire Station, according to Andy Yeung, the director of Fire Services.
Yeung in a statement named the firefighter as Ho Wai-ho, 37, adding that he “was found collapsed at the scene” of the fire. He was rushed to the hospital, where he later died, Yeung said.
Yan Zhao/AFP via Getty Images – PHOTO: Thick smoke and flames rise as a major fire engulfs several apartment blocks at the Wang Fuk Court residential estate in Hong Kong’s Tai Po district on November 26, 2025.
Chan Long Hei/AP – PHOTO: Firefighters work to extinguish a fire which broke out at Wang Fuk Court, a residential estate in the Tai Po district of Hong Kong’s New Territories, Nov. 26 2025.
“The fire has resulted in many casualties, including a fireman who died in the line of duty,” Hong Kong’s Chief Executive John Lee said in a statement posted to social media, “I express my deep sadness and my deep condolences to the families of the dead and the injured.”
Secretary for Security Tang Ping-keung said in a statement that emergency departments were at the scene of the blaze. The fire department was “doing its utmost to put out the fire,” he said.
ABC News’ Joe Simonetti and Karson Yiu contributed to this report.