Hong Kong Tower Complex Fire Kills 36 With Hundreds Reported Missing

Overview

• The level‑5 fire swept across multiple 31‑storey blocks at the Wang Fuk Court estate in Tai Po, sending dense smoke over the area and forcing major road closures and bus diversions.
• Officials report 36 fatalities, at least 29 people hospitalized with seven in critical condition, and roughly 279 residents initially listed as missing, including one firefighter among the dead.
• Firefighters and police continued search-and-rescue operations into the night, with several towers still burning at the latest update from local media.
• Hong Kong’s security chief said police and fire services will run a joint probe that includes potential criminal angles, as reports surfaced of malfunctioning building alarms.
• President Xi Jinping offered condolences and ordered full effort in the response, while authorities opened hotlines, evacuated nearby blocks and set up temporary shelters for displaced residents.