Tai Po Hung Fuk Estate Fire Linear Timeline
Event Overview: A fire broke out at approximately 14:50 on the afternoon of November 26, 2025. The scaffolding blaze spread to the roof within 10 minutes and burned for 43 hours until extinguished on the 28th, resulting in 168 deaths, 79 injuries, and all missing persons accounted for.Wikipedia SBS Timeline
Complete Timeline
| Time | Event Description | Casualties/Status | Source Link |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nov 26 | |||
| ~14:50 | Eyewitness heard loud bangs, spotted Hung Cheung House 1F scaffold fire, immediate police report | - | Oriental Daily |
| 14:51 | Fire Services officially alerted, flames rapidly spread along exterior protective netting | - | Wikipedia |
| 15:01-15:02 | First firefighters arrived, fire spread to 4F and climbing, directly classified as Level 3 | - | SBS Timeline English Wiki |
| ~15:00 | Residents reported unable to escape, fire alarm silent throughout | - | HK01 |
| 15:34 | Escalated to Level 4 fire alarm | - | Wikipedia |
| 18:22 | Escalated to Level 5 fire, mobilized 760 firefighters, 304 vehicles | - | SBS Timeline |
| 19:00 | Initial casualty count | 4 dead, 7 injured | SBS Timeline |
| 20:15 | Explosions and debris falling at fire scene | - | Wikipedia |
| 23:00 | Small fire behind Wong Chak Chee Secondary School extinguished | 13 dead, 30 injured | SBS Timeline |
| Nov 27 | |||
| 00:01 | Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu visited injured | - | SBS Timeline |
| 01:50 | Open flames extinguished in 3 buildings | - | Wikipedia |
| 03:00 | Secretary for Security inspected the scene | - | SBS Timeline |
| 05:45 | 4 buildings under control, 3 maintenance company staff arrested | ≥44 dead | SBS Timeline |
| 06:23 | 4th building under control, low-floor search & rescue | - | English Wiki |
| 15:10 | 1,250 personnel deployed, handled 279 assistance calls | - | Wikipedia |
| 17:00 | Death toll update | 55 dead | SBS Timeline |
| 23:15 | Hung Cheung House reignited | - | Wikipedia |
| Nov 28 | |||
| 01:20 | Firefighting basically completed, preparing to break doors for inspection | - | SBS Timeline |
| 06:00 | Including 1 firefighter killed in the line of duty | 94 dead, 76 injured | SBS Timeline |
| 10:18 | Fire alarm largely extinguished | - | Wikipedia |
| 12:49 | 7 buildings extinguished, casualties concentrated in Hung Cheung & Hung Tai Houses | - | SBS Timeline |
| 15:00 | Final tally | 128 dead, 78 injured, 200 missing | Wikipedia |
| Nov 29 | |||
| 00:00 | Home Affairs Department set up condolence stations in all 18 districts for citizens to sign condolence books. Registration period: Nov 29 to Dec 1, 9 AM to 9 PM | - | - |
| 08:00 | SAR Government held memorial ceremony for fire victims; government buildings and facilities to fly flags at half-mast for three consecutive days starting today | - | - |
| 09:17 | Number of injuries and deaths as of 08:00 | 128 deaths, 79 injured | HK01 |
| 16:50 | HKPD has established a casualty inquiry team. As of 15:00, there are 128 deaths and 83 injuries. The police had confirmed the identity of 84 deaths, but 37 injured patients were reported missing and the remaining 44 deaths were unidentified. | 128 deaths, 83 injured, 150 missing | HK01 |
| 18:00 | Approximately 1,555 affected residents arranged to move into Housing Bureau's transitional housing units and Hong Kong Housing Society rehousing estate units | - | SBS Timeline |
| Nov 30 | |||
| 10:00 | Indonesian Consulate General reported 7 Indonesian domestic helpers deceased, 45 missing; estimated 140 Indonesian citizens living and working at Hung Fuk Estate | 7 helpers deceased, 45 missing | - |
| 11:00 | Large number of citizens went to Kwong Fuk Leisure Place to lay flowers; displaced residents reminiscing their homes outside Hung Fuk Estate | - | - |
| 11:30 | As of 10 AM, of 79 hospitalized injured (excluding those who died after admission), 19 critical, 4 serious, 23 stable, 33 discharged | 19 critical, 4 serious, 23 stable, 33 discharged | - |
| 11:45 | Secretary for Home and Youth Affairs Alice Mak stated on TV program that government will ensure free housing for victims until they rebuild their homes | - | - |
| 12:00 | Sources indicate DVIU discovered remains at Hung Shing House | - | - |
| 12:30 | SPCA notified owners needing veterinary or pet supply assistance to visit SPCA pet rescue station (park between Kwong Yee House and Kwong Lai House) or call 9503 6229 | - | - |
| 13:30 | SPCA consolidated figures from various volunteer groups, recording total of 339 affected pets. Among them, SPCA received 136 animals alive from Fire Services, 45 unfortunately deceased | 136 pets alive, 45 deceased | - |
| 14:00 | Commissioner of Police Raymond Siu inspected fire scene with DVIU | - | - |
| 14:30 | Tai Po flower-laying queue approximately 1.5 km long, estimated 1,500 people | - | - |
| 16:30 | Police to brief on latest developments at 5 PM together with Housing Department. Speakers include Housing Department Deputy Director (Development & Construction) Leung Wang-wai, New Territories North Regional Commander Lam Man-han, Police Casualty Enquiry Centre Head Tsang Suk-yin, DVIU Head Cheng Ka-chun | - | - |
| 16:53 | Sui Wo Court in Sha Tin to remove scaffold netting from all 9 buildings, aiming to complete within two weeks | - | - |
| 18:00 | Latest death toll 146 deaths, 79 injuries. DVIU found 30 bodies in search, including 12 discovered earlier by Fire Services, plus 18 bodies in other units. DVIU found remains in staircases, rooftops, etc. 54 bodies awaiting identification. Casualty Enquiry Team successfully contacted 159 citizens confirming safety; 92 deceased and 37 injured confirmed as previously reported missing. Housing Department mobilized over 100 professionals for preliminary inspections of 6 buildings, completing over 1,500 units; Hung Yan, Hung To, Hung Kin, Hung Tai, Hung Shing and Hung Chi Houses completed | 146 dead, 79 injured, 54 bodies awaiting ID | HK01 |
| Dec 1 | |||
| 01:00 | The Lucky Animals Society confirmed that between 11 pm on Saturday, December 29th and 11 pm on Sunday, December 30th, a total of 91 animals were rescued. 73 survived, including 11 cats, 3 dogs, 48 fish, 2 rats, and 9 turtles. However, 18 animals tragically died. | HK01 | |
| 08:00 | The Education Bureau announced that schools affected by the fire will gradually resume classes today using various methods. | HK01 | |
| Dec 2 | |||
| 09:58 | The Chief Executive John Lee announced an Independent Committee would be set up to investigate the tragedy and suggest reformations. | HK01 | |
| 11:54 | DVIU enters Wang Cheung House for continued search, carries out multiple bodies (Wang Cheung 40% complete, Wang Sun 90% complete) | - | Ming Pao |
| 4pm | Death toll rises to 156 including 1 fallen firefighter, ~30 missing, 79 injured | 156 dead 79 injured, 30 missing | Sing Tao |
| 6pm | Critical injuries drop to 6, serious 8, stable 24 | - | HK01 |
| Dec 3 | |||
| 08:30 | Wang Chi House residents return by tour bus to retrieve belongings | - | HK01 |
| 09:20 | Critical injuries drop to 5, serious 9, stable 23, 42 discharged; deaths preliminarily confirmed at 159 | 159 dead 79 injured, 30 missing | HK01 |
| Afternoon | Police briefing on DVIU search progress (ground & perimeter phase), arrests 6 fire alarm contractors for false claims | - | YouTube Dot News |
| Dec 4 | |||
| All day | DVIU begins perimeter & collapsed scaffolding search on affected buildings, no new remains, ends main ground search phase | 159 dead 79 injured, 30 missing | Wen Wei Po |
| 22:55 | DVIU perimeter search yields no new findings | - | HK01 |
| Dec 5 | |||
| 12:30 | DVIU re-enters upper floors for specific units, removes scaffolding netting for lab testing, shifts to upper & internal phase | - | HK01 |
| Dec 6 | |||
| 09:30 | DVIU continues search in Wang Cheung & Wang Tai Houses, uses mini crane arm & excavator to clear ground scaffolding debris, deploys drones for inspection & hoists generators | - | HK01 |
| Dec 8 | |||
| Afternoon | DVIU sets up safety ropes from Wang Tai House platform to access underground pump room, searches hard-to-reach areas; inter-departmental team meets on fire origin | - | HK01 |
| Dec 9 | |||
| Morning | Police Commissioner Chan Yiu-ming briefs on investigation, DVIU completes phase 2 ground ops, DNA confirms one body as two victims, death toll rises to 160 | 160 dead 79 injured, 6 missing | HK01 |
| Afternoon | Police briefing on latest evidence collection & investigation, confirms DVIU ongoing work in extreme conditions | - | YouTube Dot News |
| Dec 10 | |||
| All day | DVIU searches Wang Cheung House, uses crane arm with bucket to clear scaffolding bamboo, concrete pump reinforces structure; Housing Dept assesses, previews Dec 12 scaffold removal | - | Ta Kung |
| 15:30 | Deputy Chief Secretary Cheuk Wing-hing announces HK$3.4B relief fund, HK$100K per owner household | - | HK01 |
| Dec 11 | |||
| 10:20 | Crane arms & excavators clear rubble, DVIU continues evidence collection, preps for phase 3 post-scaffold inspection | - | HK01 |
| 2pm | Workers use large crane arm to lift tools to rooftop, DVIU coordinates scaffold removal prep | - | Ming Pao |
| Dec 12 | |||
| 09:00 | Housing Dept begins scaffold removal on Wang Cheung, Wang Tai, Wang Sun Houses, large crane arm arrives for cleanup, DVIU shifts to full post-scaffold inspection phase | - | Sing Tao |
| Early morning | Chief Executive John Lee appoints Judge Luk Kai-kong as independent commission chair, report due in 9 months | - | HK01 |
| Dec 14 | |||
| 15:05 | Confirms independent commission members including Chan Kin-po & Au Yeung Pak-kwan | 160 dead 79 injured, 6 missing | HK01 |
| Dec 15 | |||
| 17:13 | Fire Services Department announced that the deceased firefighter, posthumously promoted to Station Officer, Ho Wai-ho, was 37 years old and left behind family | 161 dead, 79 injured (including the added couple’s remains) | HK01 |
| Dec 16 | |||
| 20:40 | Housing Authority’s independent review team completed concrete core sampling from 7 blocks and began preliminary structural assessment | - | HK01 |
| Dec 17 | |||
| 19:30 | Wang Fuk Court Owners’ Corporation held a full committee meeting, with agenda items including pre-fire fire safety systems, insurance claims, accounts, contractor contracts, and special owners’ meetings | - | HK01 |
| Dec 18 | |||
| 12:00 | Funeral vehicles arrived in Tai Po; firefighters bowed in tribute and held a roadside memorial service | - | Now News |
| Dec 19 | |||
| 11:00 | Commissioner of Police Monday Yik announced that DNA testing on one set of remains revealed a second person’s DNA, confirming a married couple, raising the death toll to 161 | 161 dead, 79 injured, 6 missing (all cases now confirmed) | Yahoo NewsNow NewsHK01 |
| 19:00 | Insurance Authority announced payouts exceeding HK$257 million, with life insurance covering 10,660 policies | - | Wen Wei Po |
| 21:00 | Total relief fund amount reached HK$3.8 billion to assist residents in rebuilding their homes | - | HKCD |
| Dec 20 | |||
| 11:00 | Police confirmed the death toll had risen to 161, with all missing persons’ cases now identified | 161 dead, 79 injured, 6 missing now fully accounted for | BAUYahoo News |
| 15:00 | Tai Po Baptist Public School remains closed; Education Bureau arranges classes at Tai Po Government Primary School and Pok Oi Hospital sites | - | HK01 |
| Dec 21 | Police Casualty Enquiry Centre confirms that the 6 previously followed-up missing persons cases have all been resolved, with 5 confirmed dead in the Wang Fuk Court fire and 1 found to have passed away in 2023 | 161 dead, 79 injured; missing cases "cleared" | Wen Wei Po Ming Pao |
| Dec 22 | Commentaries and interviews state that if the Grade 5 fire reveals official or systemic negligence, the Chief Executive should be held "fully accountable," reflecting ongoing public expectations for responsibility and institutional reform | - | Ming Pao "2025 Review" |
| Jan | |||
| Jan 3 | Police announce that since all missing persons cases were confirmed and closed around Dec 21, 2025, the Wang Fuk Court fire casualty enquiry hotline service hours will be further adjusted but remain operational | Still at 161 dead, 79 injured (final verification pending) | Wen Wei Po |
| Early Jan | Government and multiple media continue reporting on victims' temporary resettlement and relocation, noting nearly 2,000 affected households dispersed across temporary shelters and transitional housing, with community adaptation and long-term housing plans as key issues | Official casualty figures remain 161 dead, 79 injured | BBC Chinese |
| Jan 14 | Police and government complete forensic identification and status confirmation of all bodies and remains, preparing internally to update final death toll and related announcements | - | RTHK English Gov't News |
| Jan 15 | Security Bureau Secretary Dennis Ng states that after further verification and identification, the final death toll rises from 161 to 168 (58 male, 110 female, ages 6 months to 98 years); all bodies/remains identified, all missing cases resolved with no unrecovered or unidentified persons | 168 dead, 79 injured; no unconfirmed missing | HK01 RTHK English HKCD Gov't Press Release |
| Jan 15 | Ng explains government will not release names of 168 victims to respect families' wishes, stating details will be disclosed during future coronial inquest | 168 dead, 79 injured (final tally maintained) | HK01 RTHK English |
| Mid-Jan (same day) | Debate arises over full public disclosure of victim list; families and scholars worry non-disclosure weakens public accountability and collective memory, while others prioritize family privacy and grieving | 168 dead, 79 injured | Wikipedia "Government has not released victim list" section |
| Mid-to-late Jan | Government states it has collected preliminary feedback from most affected owners on buyback, "flat-for-flat," in-district resettlement, and on-site rebuilding options, emphasizing survey is for gauging intent only, with formal proposals to follow | 168 dead, 79 injured | Wikipedia "Reconstruction and Resettlement" section |
Data as of: January 18, 2026
Data Sources: Wikipedia SBS Timeline English Wiki Oriental Daily HK01
Integration was performed using AI tools, without manual verification.
This English version is automatically translated from the original Chinese Markdown table for international reference.