Hong Kong fire reason: Traditional construction method led to massive blaze that killed 44?

Hong Kong fire

A massive fire that ripped through several residential high-rises in Hong Kong on Wednesday has killed at least 44 people, with hundreds still unaccounted for, authorities said. Emergency crews worked through the night as residents remained trapped in burning buildings across Wang Fuk Court, a densely populated housing complex in the Tai Po district.

Officials have arrested three construction company executives on suspicion of manslaughter as investigators probe whether unsafe renovation materials fuelled the catastrophic spread of the flames.

#BreakingBad .
44 Dead After Massive Fire Ravages 7 High-Rise Buildings In Hong Kong, 3 Arrested pic.twitter.com/dwn5kf1YWj

Story continues below Advertisement

Remove Ad

— PoonamSharma (@Poonam_1992) November 27, 2025

Fire Services officials said the blaze broke out just before 3 p.m. local time at Wang Cheong House, a 32-storey tower undergoing renovation and wrapped in bamboo scaffolding. Flames rapidly engulfed the external structure and leapt to neighbouring blocks, fanned by strong winds.

Also read: Hong Kong high-rise fire kills 44, nearly 300 missing in city’s worst inferno in decades

Derek Armstrong Chan, deputy director of operations, confirmed that scaffolding was ablaze when firefighters arrived, and burning bamboo poles began collapsing within minutes.

Authorities say at least seven of the complex’s eight towers caught fire, forcing survivors into temporary shelters as rescue teams struggled to access upper floors.

Suspicious materials discovered

Security Secretary Chris Tang raised concerns about the speed at which the fire spread. He said preliminary findings showed that “exterior netting, tarpaulin and plastic sheeting that burned far more intensely than permitted materials” were found on the buildings.

“We have found that on the relevant building walls, the netting and waterproof tarpaulin material, once burned, showed spreading of the flames faster than they should on regulated materials. This is unusual,” Tang said.

Fire Services Director Andy Yeung also confirmed that styrofoam was discovered stuck around the window frames. According to the South China Morning Post, the styrofoam caused flames to travel rapidly through corridors and ignite flats on multiple levels.

The material “blocked ventilation gaps and was extremely flammable,” making the blaze “far more aggressive,” Yeung said. Police and fire officers have set up a dedicated task force to determine whether criminal negligence contributed to the disaster.

“Police and the Fire Services Department have already set up a dedicated investigation team to investigate the cause of the fire,” Hong Kong Chief Executive John Lee said.

Is Bamboo scaffolding the cause?

Hong Kong is one of the last major cities to still rely widely on bamboo scaffolding, an ancient technique rooted in traditional construction practices.

The lightweight bamboo structures are praised for their flexibility and low cost. However, they are also combustible, especially when paired with plastic netting and renovation materials, a combination now being questioned.

Government plans to increase the use of steel scaffolding in public projects were already underway following industry accidents and safety concerns. Labour unions have opposed rapid replacement, arguing it threatens jobs for nearly 4,000 professional “spidermen” scaffold builders.

888 firefighters 

The tragedy has become one of Hong Kong’s deadliest high-rise infernos in recent decades. Authorities say the final casualty count could rise significantly, as it remains unclear how many of the complex’s 4,000-plus residents, many elderly, are unaccounted for.

The government has promised a full investigation into the cause and accountability behind the fire that tore through a major residential hub in minutes, leaving devastation and unanswered questions across Tai Po.