香港大埔宏福苑于 2025 年 11 月 26 日下午约 3 时起火，火势迅速蔓延至 7 座大楼，已确认至少 128 人死亡、数百人失踪，成为数十年来最严重的住宅火灾之一。超过 140 辆消防车、约 800 名消防员与约 60 辆救护车参与灭火，历时近两天至 11 月 28 日上午 10 时才完全扑灭；其间一名消防员殉职。起火点位于宏昌阁 F 座外层竹棚架，塑料网与用作窗板覆盖的可燃性聚苯乙烯（泡沫板）助长火势，并导致玻璃破裂，使火焰迅速蔓延至高层与邻近大楼。居民反映警报未启动，部分人员因烟雾与坠落棚架受困无法逃生。
事故发生前，宏福苑八座楼中有七座包覆竹棚架进行翻新工程。此公共房屋群建于 1980 年代，约 2,000 单位、近 5,000 名居民。监管机构自 2024 年 7 月起已对施工方 Prestige Construction & Engineering 进行 16 次检查并反复书面警告其改善防火措施，包括在火灾发生前一周。警方以误杀嫌疑拘捕工程公司 3 名高层。政府宣布全面调查，检查所有使用棚架的工地，并表示在多个部门间投入资源救援；中国中央政府亦表示支援。
超过 500 名居民被安置在 9 个临时庇护中心，最终无家可归者可能达数千人。政府已安排未来数周入住酒店与青年旅舍，但在住房极度紧张的香港寻找长期安置将十分困难。多个志愿组织正提供食物、饮水、衣物与毯子。过去一年香港已发生至少 4 起涉及棚架的火灾，凸显竹棚架高可燃性风险；此前最严重的住宅火灾为 1996 年加利大厦造成 41 人死亡。
A fire erupted at Hong Kong’s Wang Fuk Court in Tai Po around 3 p.m. on Nov. 26, 2025, spreading rapidly across seven towers and killing at least 128 people, with hundreds still missing, marking one of the city’s worst residential fires in decades. Over 140 fire engines, about 800 firefighters, and roughly 60 ambulances were deployed, and the blaze was extinguished only by 10 a.m. on Nov. 28; one firefighter died in the effort. The fire started on bamboo scaffolding at Block F, where plastic netting and flammable styrofoam window coverings accelerated vertical spread as window panes shattered. Residents reported silent fire alarms and being trapped due to smoke and falling scaffolding.
Seven of eight towers were under renovation, wrapped in bamboo scaffolding. The 1980s public housing complex contains about 2,000 units and nearly 5,000 residents. Regulators had conducted 16 inspections since July 2024 and repeatedly warned contractor Prestige Construction & Engineering to improve fire-prevention measures, including a written warning a week before the disaster. Police arrested three senior company figures on suspicion of manslaughter. The government launched a task force, ordered checks on all scaffolding sites, and mobilized cross-departmental resources; China’s central government also pledged support.
More than 500 residents are currently in nine temporary shelters, with the total displaced likely reaching several thousand. Short-term hotel and hostel arrangements are in place, but long-term rehousing will be challenging in Hong Kong’s constrained housing market. Volunteer groups are distributing essential supplies. At least four scaffolding-related fires occurred in the past year, underscoring risks linked to bamboo scaffolding. The previous deadliest residential fire was the 1996 Garley Building incident, which killed 41 people.