Wang Fuk Court

• Nov 26, 2025 — Fire erupts at Wang Fuk Court, Tai Po. ^[4]
• Nov 28, 2025 — Blaze finally extinguished after more than 43 hours. ^[5]
• Casualties — At least 159 dead, 79 injured, 31 missing. ^[6]
• Immediate aftermath — arrests of contractors and workers, ICAC probe announced, scaffolding scapegoat narrative pushed. ^[7]

• Compliant mesh installed only in areas inspectors could access. Non‑compliant netting used everywhere else, burning rapidly and trapping heat. ^[8]
• Styrofoam insulation added fuel, creating toxic smoke. ^[9]
• Disabled safeguards: Fire alarms turned off, exit doors compromised, workers smoking on site. ^[10]
• Rigged contracts: Renovation worth millions awarded to highest bidder despite safety concerns. ^[11]
• Coerced seniors: Elderly residents pressured into paying over HK$140,000 each for “renovation fees.” ^[2]
• Cover‑up: Government narrative blamed bamboo scaffolding, even though it remained intact and unburnt. ^[12]

• Seniors forced into debt and danger. ^[2]
• Residents trapped without alarms or escape routes. ^[10]
• Families devastated, survivors silenced. ^[13]
• Fraudsters exploited grief with fake relief fundraisers. ^[14]

• Arrests: Contractors and workers detained, but deeper corruption left untouched. ^[7]
• ICAC probe: Framed as a narrow graft investigation, avoiding systemic accountability. ^[15]
• Narrative control: Scapegoating scaffolding, suppressing calls for independent inquiry. ^[12]
• Pre‑emptive removal: Other renovation sites rushed to strip netting before fire was even out, signaling foreknowledge. ^[1][16]

Government aid included condolence payments, funeral grants, living allowances, and temporary housing.

• Condolence payments of HK$200,000 were issued to families of the deceased. ^[17]
• Funeral grants of HK$50,000 were made available to cover immediate costs. ^[17]
• Living allowances of HK$50,000 were distributed to affected households. ^[17]
• Injury grants were provided to survivors requiring medical treatment. ^[17]
• Emergency relief payments of HK$10,000 were given to displaced residents. ^[20]
• Temporary housing was arranged in hotels and hostels while longer‑term solutions were secured. ^[19]
• A “one social worker per household” system was established to guide survivors through welfare and support services. ^[20]
• The government contributed HK$300 million in seed funding to the relief fund, which quickly grew to over HK$800 million. ^[18]][19]

• 🪵 Scaffolding still standing, unburnt. ^[12]
• ⏳ Netting stripped from other sites mid‑fire. ^[16]
• Visible proof contradicting official spin. ^[12]

This fire was not an accident. It was the inevitable outcome of systemic corruption and deliberate deception. ^[15] The truth lies not in the official narrative, but in the testimony of residents and HKers naming those responsible. ^[2][13]

To understand how negligence and fraud converged into catastrophe, we turn next to the hidden layers of 🔗 Causes & Corruption, where the materials, contracts, and cover‑ups are laid bare.

• 📚 Wikipedia's Wang Fuk Court fire page 🔗✔️
• ^[1] The Star — Scaffolding nets removed across Hong Kong as firms seek to meet three‑day deadline 🚫🔗❌
• ^[2] SCMP — Hong Kong scaffold nets come down after deadly fire as residents get more help 🚫🔗❌
• ^[3] Human Rights Watch — Hong Kong authorities tightly control narrative after Wang Fuk Court fire 🚫🔗❌
• ^[4] RTHK — Fire erupts at Wang Fuk Court, Tai Po 🚫🔗❌
• ^[5] Ming Pao — Blaze extinguished after more than 43 hours 🚫🔗❌
• ^[6] SCMP — Hong Kong fire death toll rises to 159, dozens still missing 🚫🔗❌
• ^[7] RTHK — Arrests of contractors and ICAC probe announced 🚫🔗❌
• ^[8] Moneycontrol — Hong Kong fire probe reveals fake safety netting and widening trust gap 🔗✔️
• ^[9] Yahoo News — Styrofoam insulation added fuel, creating toxic smoke 🚫🔗❌
• ^[10] Straits Times — Alarms disabled, exits compromised in Hong Kong fire 🚫🔗❌
• ^[11] Ming Pao — Main contractor under scrutiny for tendering irregularities 🚫🔗❌
• ^[12] Yahoo News — Hong Kong says mesh around bamboo scaffolding and polystyrene helped fire spread 🚫🔗❌
• ^[13] RTHK — Families devastated, survivors silenced 🚫🔗❌
• ^[14] SCMP — Fraudsters exploit grief with fake relief fundraisers 🚫🔗❌
• ^[14] The Standard — ICAC probe framed narrowly, avoiding systemic accountability 🚫🔗❌
• ^[16] CNA — Hong Kong orders scaffold netting to be removed at over 200 sites in wake of inferno 🚫🔗❌
• ^[17] news.gov.hk official release — Post-fire aid disbursal starts 🔗✔️
• ^[18] China Daily coverage — Aid continues pouring in one week after Hong Kong's Tai Po fire 🔗✔️
• ^[19] The Standard — Tai Po fire relief fund reaches $800m as govt rolls out funeral aid and free housing for survivors 🔗✔️
• ^[20] Dimsum Daily — Hong Kong government distributes emergency funds to Wang Fuk Court fire 🔗✔️