At least 13 people have been killed and more than a dozen injured after a massive fire tore through Wang Fuk Court, a residential housing estate in Hong Kong’s Tai Po district, on Wednesday afternoon.
The blaze began around 14:51 hours and spread rapidly across bamboo scaffolding and construction netting used for renovations, engulfing several towers and sending thick smoke into the sky. Authorities declared it a five-alarm fire, the city’s highest severity level, as flames climbed multiple blocks of the estate, which houses nearly 4,800 residents.  
Nine victims died at the scene, while four others succumbed in hospital, including one firefighter. At least 15 others were injured, some critically. Around 700 residents were evacuated to temporary shelters as firefighters deployed 128 trucks and 57 ambulances to battle the blaze late into the night.
Witnesses described explosions and cracking sounds from burning bamboo, while evacuees expressed frustration at losing homes and belongings.  
The government has opened shelters for displaced families, and the cause of the fire is under investigation.
Hong Kong has long relied on bamboo scaffolding for construction, though safety concerns have grown, and officials had earlier announced plans to phase it out in public projects. This tragedy, one of the deadliest residential fires in recent years, has intensified scrutiny of construction practices and fire safety in one of the world’s most densely populated cities.