Hong Kong fire: Did a cigarette spark the blaze? Viral video shows worker smoking before tragedy

At least 55 people were killed in one of Hong Kong’s deadliest fires in decades on Wednesday at Wang Fuk Court in Tai Po, a suburb in the city’s mountainous New Territories. Dozens more were injured, and nearly 900 of the 4,800 residents were moved to temporary shelters overnight.

A viral video circulating on social media has added a new twist to the tragedy, claiming the inferno may have been triggered by a cigarette. The clip, shared by an X user, alleges: “Shocking new footage reveals workers were caught casually smoking while repairing the outer wall of Wang Fuk Court, Tai Po in Hong Kong, moments before the entire building went up in flames.”

Authorities, however, have not confirmed any such link and are yet to announce an official cause of the fire.


Firefighting operations continued into Thursday, as crews battled flames still burning inside several towers, according to an AP report. Seven of the complex’s eight 32-storey buildings were engulfed after construction materials and bamboo scaffolding caught fire. Officials said extreme heat severely hindered rescue efforts.

This is Hong Kong’s deadliest blaze since 1996, when 41 people were killed in a commercial building fire in Kowloon.



Investigators are probing why renovation materials—including netting, plastic foam window-protective panels, and bamboo scaffolding—ignited so rapidly. High winds also contributed to the fire’s rapid spread.

Authorities have arrested three people—the directors and an engineering consultant of a construction company—on suspicion of manslaughter. Police did not name the firm, but officers searched the office of Prestige Construction & Engineering Co., which AP confirmed was overseeing the renovation work. Calls to the company went unanswered.

Officials suspect some of the materials used may not have met fire-resistance standards.

Fire crews struggled to control the towering flames, with ladders and hoses reaching only about halfway up the 32-storey buildings (roughly 53 meters or 174 feet). High winds and scorching temperatures prevented the use of aerial tools, including helicopters. The intense heat also kept firefighters from entering the buildings to rescue residents, said Derek Armstrong Chan, deputy director of Hong Kong’s Fire Service Operations.

Hong Kong Chief Executive John Lee said a task force would be formed to conduct a full investigation, and the case will be referred to the Coroner’s Court for further inquiry. The government will also inspect all housing estates undergoing major repairs to review scaffolding and construction material safety. Lee added that authorities would provide “all possible support” to those affected.