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Hong Kong fires and safety

Hong Kong fires and safety
The latest news, analysis and opinion on Hong Kong fires and safety. In-depth analysis, industry insights and expert opinion.
The blast victim is rushed to hospital. Photo: Handout
Accidents and personal safety

Man fights for life after jumping from Hong Kong flat following gas blast

Police say man, 42, had changed gas cylinder in the morning but tube was not fixed correctly, with a spark in the evening causing blast.

Hong Kong’s Tai Po fire tragedy

Exclusive | Hong Kong surveyor’s undeclared role prompts rule review after deadly Tai Po fire

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Hong Kong’s Tai Po fire tragedy

Hong Kong’s Legco to discuss post-fire support but question session cancelled

Hong Kong’s Tai Po fire tragedy

Including suppliers in new Hong Kong rules on scaffolding nets ‘overreaching’

Secretary for Development Bernadette Linn also says there is no need for an across-the-board switch from bamboo to metal scaffolding.

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Workers remove scaffolding nets from a building in Hong Kong. Photo: Dickson Lee
Hong Kong’s Tai Po fire tragedy

Rebuilding fire-ravaged Wang Fuk Court ‘not practical’, Hong Kong officials say

Economist urges government to use donation fund to generate investment returns to bridge financial gap for residents waiting for new flats.

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Hong Kong’s Tai Po fire tragedy

Housing anxiety impeding Hong Kong fire trauma recovery: mental health experts

Many Wang Fuk Court residents displaced by the deadly inferno are now living in hotels, youth hostels or transitional housing.

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Hong Kong politics

Outside In | To root out corruption, Hong Kong fire probe must go beyond scapegoats

Public procurement failures often reflect government responsibility, and Hong Kong’s fire investigation must confront that reality.

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Members of the independent investigation committee of the Wang Fuk Court fire, wearing protective suits, inspect the fire scene on December 23. Photo: Jelly Tse
Hong Kong’s Tai Po fire tragedy

Letters | As Hongkongers unite around Tai Po, the fire probe must deliver

Readers discuss how to sustain social cohesion in Hong Kong, the kindness of Hongkongers, and why the world must respond to the Venezuela raid.

Accidents and personal safety

Faulty appliance sparks fire at Hong Kong housing estate, prompting 300 to flee

Fire at Lam Wai House in Lam Tin Estate triggered by a short circuit in an electrical appliance.

Hong Kong’s Tai Po fire tragedy

Hong Kong firms set to return to projects as new scaffolding nets expected soon

Deadly Tai Po blaze triggered the citywide removal of protective mesh at around 420 buildings undergoing renovations.

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Workers remove netting at a project in Fo Tan in December. Photo: Dickson Lee
Hong Kong’s Tai Po fire tragedy

Tai Po housing site ‘viable option’ for fire victims: Hong Kong councillors

Lo Hiu-fung says government should consider plot, about 1.5km from fire-hit Wang Fuk Court, if it wants to help victims resettle as soon as possible.

The fire that broke out at Wang Fuk Court in Tai Po in late November last year killed at least 161 people. Photo: Dickson Lee
Hong Kong’s Tai Po fire tragedy

Warning over proxy harvesting in Hong Kong amid renovation corruption crackdown

‘You must not sign a proxy form for someone you do not know,’ professional says after Tai Po fire triggers clampdown.

Accidents and personal safety

More than 150 residents evacuated after ‘candle’ sparks fire in Hong Kong flat

Police receive report on Monday of fire on 33rd floor of Tsuen Wan Centre’s Tai Yuan House, less than a day after Shek Kip Mei Estate blaze.

Hong Kong’s Tai Po fire tragedy

Hong Kong fire-displaced residents told to leave youth hostels by end of January

Home and Youth Affairs Bureau says affected residents can move to transitional housing or use government’s HK$150,000 rental subsidy.

Authorities relocated Wang Fuk Court residents to temporary accommodation in the aftermath of a deadly blaze in November. Photo: Karma Lo
Accidents and personal safety

‘I thought of pushing wife out window’: Hong Kong fire survivors recount escape

Blaze at Mei Yue House of Shek Kip Mei Estate leaves one dead, eight others injured.

A fire broke out at Mei Yue House in Shek Kip Mei on Sunday morning, leaving 1 dead and 8 injured. Photo: Dickson Lee
Hong Kong’s Tai Po fire tragedy

2 cats found at Tai Po inferno site a month after Hong Kong blaze, SPCA says

Animal protection group calls discovery a ‘miracle’ and expresses hope of finding more missing pets.

Hong Kong’s Tai Po fire tragedy

‘Let us return’: some Tai Po fire survivors petition for on-site rebuilding

Resettlement on Wang Fuk Court site is ‘only way we can regain dignity and hope in our lives’, says letter signed by over 100 residents.

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Hong Kong’s Tai Po fire tragedy

Opinion | Hong Kong must tackle long-term problem of building maintenance

Thousands of ageing high-rises will need repair work over the next few years. Responsibility for the projects amid reports of bid-rigging needs to be addressed.

Residents of Fu Shin Estate in Tai Po held a meeting on December 20 to discuss their own renovation project after the nearby fire tragedy. Photo: Jonathan Wong
Hong Kong’s Tai Po fire tragedy

5,000 Hong Kong workers idle as new scaffold net safety regime hits 200 projects

Development Bureau says it will consider amending a law to strengthen supervision over external works involved in major building repairs.

Hong Kong’s Tai Po fire tragedy

How a Hong Kong mum is finding strength to rebuild life after Tai Po fire

Christy Lee, 40, lost everything in the Wang Fuk Court inferno but says she cannot allow herself to dwell on negative thoughts.

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Hong Kong’s Tai Po fire tragedy

How Hong Kong’s Tai Po community is finding light in darkness, 1 month after fire

As Wang Fuk Court residents and their neighbours pick up the pieces after blaze, glimmers of hope and generosity bring comfort.

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The fire, which raged for 43 hours, killed 161 people, including a firefighter, and displaced nearly 5,000 residents. Photo: Sam Tsang
Hong Kong’s Tai Po fire tragedy

‘Holding on to hope’: Hong Kong fire survivors make New Year wish for a home

Fire-hit residents wish for long-term resettlement, saying they ‘are more concerned about having a roof over their head’.

Residents of Wang Fuk Court are longing to return to the homes they lost in the blaze. Photo: Jelly Tse
Hong Kong’s Tai Po fire tragedy

Hong Kong police make another arrest over deadly Tai Po blaze

Man, 48, arrested on suspicion of manslaughter is 16th person detained in connection with fire.

Hong Kong’s Tai Po fire tragedy

Committee probing Hong Kong fire visits Wang Fuk Court to inspect conditions

Panel chairman Justice David Lok visits scene of blaze with committee members to understand ‘actual environment’ at estate.

Hong Kong’s Tai Po fire tragedy

Hong Kong Red Cross unveils HK$420 million relief fund for Tai Po fire victims

Charity to provide cash, medical and mental health aid under a three- to five-year recovery plan for families hit by the deadly blaze.

CEO Bonnie So says the Hong Kong Red Cross has raised HK$420 million. Photo: Karma Lo
Hong Kong housing

Opinion | Hong Kong’s fire victims need empathy, clarity and a plan

The fire must compel us to re-examine how we assign risk, structure contracts, insure homes and support communities after a catastrophe.

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Residents take shelter at Kwong Fuk Commercial Centre on November 27 as the Tai Po fire burns in the background. Photo: Eugene Lee
Hong Kong’s Tai Po fire tragedy

Hong Kong lawyers give free aid to Tai Po residents at loss over next legal steps

As residents of Wang Fuk Court rebuild their lives, hundreds of lawyers have stepped in to help them understand their legal options.

Legislative Council election 2025

Deadly Tai Po blaze affected Hong Kong Legco election voter turnout: minister

Constitutional affairs chief Erick Tsang says city’s worst fire in decades ‘dampened enthusiasm’, leading to second-lowest rate since 1997.

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