HONG KONG - A single cigarette sparked a chain of failures that led to the deadliest fire in Hong Kong’s history, killing 168 people at the Wang Fuk Court housing complex in Tai Po.
The blaze on Nov 26, 2025, started in a lightwell filled with trash and cigarette stubs. Construction workers had replaced fireproof windows with wooden boards and used substandard scaffolding nets with faked safety certificates. Fire alarms failed, water tanks were empty, and flames spread quickly across seven towers.
Firefighter Ho Wai-ho, 37, died after getting trapped on the 30th floor, just a month before his wedding.
Ten foreign domestic workers were among the victims. One helper, Vame Mariz Wayas Verador, survived by carrying her employer’s two-year-old son down 17 floors. She was later terminated by her employers due to financial difficulties.
Authorities arrested 39 people for manslaughter and fraud, including directors of Prestige Construction, which secured the renovation contract despite a history of safety violations. The project was the most expensive among 57 bids at over US$42 million.
Hong Kong’s government will not rebuild the seven damaged towers, instead offering residents cash payouts or flat exchanges.
Luzar Wu, 21, lost his family home and their Indonesian helper, Siti Fatonah. “It’s a lesson written in blood,” he said.
