‘Am I going to die?’: survivor recalls being trapped by inferno at Hong Kong housing estate
Survivor William Li speaks with the Post about being trapped as fire broke out and smoke engulfed his flat.
A massive fire at a public housing estate in Hong Kong’s Tai Po neighbourhood on November 26, 2025, killed at least 128 people. Authorities have launched a full-scale investigation, including criminal probes, into the city’s deadliest blaze in decades. For now, there are clues to what happened in the stories of those who survived.
One of them is William Li, who is now sheltering with his family at a relative’s flat. At the time of the fire, Li was at home on the second floor of Wang Cheong House at Wang Fuk Court in Tai Po. He spoke with the Post about the terrifying moments when he realised he was trapped by the blaze. He described his failed attempts to escape and the agonising wait for rescue as smoke filled his flat.