Video timeline of the events that unfolded during Hong Kong’s deadly fire in Tai Po

Hong Kong authorities have launched a criminal investigation into the city’s deadliest fire that killed at least 55 people. Scores more have been sent to hospital, with some in a critical condition. The disaster started to unfold on November 26, 2025, when a fire broke out at a housing estate in Tai Po. Firefighters were still battling blazes in three of the seven blocks involved nearly 20 hours after the fire started. Scores of residents trapped in buildings were rescued as firefighters began reaching the upper floors at daybreak, but nearly 280 people remained unaccounted for.