A heartbreaking tragedy has struck Hong Kong — a blaze that has become the city’s deadliest in decades. On 26 November 2025, a massive fire broke out at Wang Fuk Court, a 31‑storey residential tower in Tai Po, engulfing multiple buildings in the estate in infernos that would ultimately claim many lives. What began as a renovation project ended in catastrophic loss. 

Fire officials have confirmed that at least 128 people are now dead, while over 150 remain missing and dozens more injured — among them, several firefighters who responded to the alarm.  A fire classification of “Level 5” was declared, the most serious alarm level — underscoring the scale and intensity of the disaster. 

Tragically, among those who perished was 37‑year‑old firefighter Ho Wai-ho from the Sha Tin Fire Station. Reports confirm that Ho — a nine‑year veteran of the fire service — lost contact with his team while operating on the ground floor. He was later found collapsed and rushed to hospital, but was pronounced dead shortly afterward. 

Ho’s death has struck a particularly sorrowful chord because of the intimate story behind it. According to local media, he was only a month away from marrying his longtime partner, with whom he had shared more than ten years of life. In social media posts, she referred to him as her “superhero,” writing that he had “completed his mission and returned to Krypton” — a heartrending metaphor evoking sacrifice, love, and a future abruptly lost. 

His fate has become a powerful and tragic symbol — reminding the world of the human cost behind such disasters, and the enormous courage of those who risk their own lives to save others. As investigations into the fire continue — focusing on causes such as flammable scaffolding materials, renovation negligence, and possible corruption — many have called for greater accountability and sweeping reforms to building‑safety regulations in high‑density housing. 

Meanwhile, public mourning has begun across Hong Kong, as survivors, relatives, and the broader community grapple with the scale of the loss. The tragedy has sparked renewed fear, grief, and resolve: fear over unsafe housing practices, grief for lives lost too soon, and resolve to ensure nothing like this can happen again.