Hong Kong - November 26, 2025 X user Paul Marriott filmed the burning buildings at Wang Cheong House in Wang Fuk Court as Hong Kong’s deadliest blaze in more than sixty years tore through the residential towers. The fire erupted around 2:50 p.m. on Wednesday during renovation work. Flames rapidly consumed the bamboo scaffolding, protective netting, and foam seals on the buildings’ exteriors, spreading across the eight-block Wang Fuk Court estate. Eyewitness footage shows thick black smoke rising into the hazy daylight while vivid orange flames tear through the green netting and scaffolding. Sparks fall like dangerous fireworks, lighting up power lines and a lone tree branch in the foreground. Firefighters appear as small silhouettes moving through the smoke, their hoses barely affecting the inferno that had already consumed seven towers. “It was like watching hell unfold in slow motion,” said Paul Marriott, who shared a 14-second video from his “Batch 2” series. The estate’s design and the renovation conditions intensified the blaze. External fire spread bypassed interior sprinklers, and the close-packed towers allowed embers to leap between buildings. The $42 million renovation had included window frame replacements with substandard materials, despite long-standing safety complaints from residents. By nightfall, the alarm was raised to Level No. 4, activating more than 200 firefighters battling extreme heat and strong gusts. At least one firefighter was among the dead, and hospitals treated dozens, with several in critical condition from burns and smoke inhalation. Survivors described scenes of chaos. Wong, age 71, collapsed in grief after losing contact with his wife on the 10th floor. Another resident, Tong Pingmoon, escaped moments after a firefighter warned him as nearby scaffolding ignited. Police arrested three construction executives on suspicion of manslaughter, citing “gross negligence” in using combustible materials. City leader John Lee called the disaster “a profound tragedy,” and Security Secretary Chris Tang condemned the “unusual” speed of the fire, blaming non-compliant sheeting and netting. Community halls turned into shelters as residents donated food and clothing. Former district councillor Herman Yiu Kwan-ho highlighted the vulnerability of retirees who could not evacuate quickly. Fire safety experts renewed warnings about high-rise renovation risks in one of the world’s densest cities. Embers continued to glow into the next day as Tai Po faced the scale of the catastrophe.