Hong Kong has been shaken by one of the deadliest residential fires in decades as new images reveal the terrifying scale of destruction inside Wang Fuk Court, a housing complex in Tai Po where 146 people have been confirmed dead. Authorities warn the toll may rise further as search operations continue inside eight high-rise blocks ravaged by the blaze.
Unseen devastation inside the building
What began as a small fire on the first floor on Wednesday afternoon (November 26) quickly escalated into a massive inferno, engulfing multiple buildings of the complex. First pictures released by the Hong Kong Police Force show interiors reduced to blackened shells.
A charred air conditioner sits beneath a shattered window frame, while yellow walls, now covered in thick soot, stand as haunting reminders of the catastrophe. The floors are blanketed with debris, ash, twisted metal and remnants of burned furniture.
Inside one damaged apartment, an officer from the Disaster Victim Identification Unit (DVIU) is seen in full protective gear, respiratory mask, safety glasses and a helmet with a mounted flashlight, slowly sifting through the ashes with a shovel. The surrounding area is barely recognisable, with plaster peeling from walls and personal belongings charred beyond recognition. In another image, a pair of bright red slippers, once belonging to a resident, lies starkly against the blackened flooring.
Police superintendent Tsang Shuk-yin said that search teams are combing through flats, staircases, corridors and rooftops, but structural damage is complicating operations. ‘We cannot rule out the possibility of further fatalities,’ she said.
City grieves: Flowers, messages and public mourning
As rescue teams continue their grim task, Hong Kong residents gathered across the city on Sunday to mourn the victims. Outside the housing blocks, hundreds queued to lay flowers, soft toys and food items in tribute.
People wrote heartfelt messages and pinned them to the pillars of the burnt buildings. One note read: ‘Never Forget, Never Forgive.’
The tragedy, considered the world’s deadliest residential building fire since the 1980s, has left the city in deep sorrow, as families await updates and authorities race to identify victims among the ashes.
