Canadians with roots in Hong Kong have been watching in horror at news of the fireplace that tore through seven highrise towers within the Chinese special administrative region, leaving dozens dead and tons of missing.
Vancouver resident Albert Wai Yip Chan, a former member of the Legislative Council of Hong Kong, said the fireplace risk in the town’s tall buildings has at all times been a priority, especially with many lacking sprinkler systems.
He’s been watching videos online of the blaze in his hometown, which showed large flames and thick smoke engulfing the buildings.
Smoke rises after a hearth broke out at Wang Fuk Court, a residential estate within the Tai Po district of Hong Kong’s Latest Territories on Wednesday, Nov. 26 2025.
AP Photo/Chan Long Hei
“I wish (the) injured people could have a speedy recovery,” said Chan, “It’s a tragedy.”
“We hope the federal government can improve its property management policy. Otherwise, I consider any such problem will keep occurring many times.”
Lots of of residents were evacuated because the blaze spread across a housing complex within the Tai Po district, with a minimum of 44 people reported dead and about 280 missing.
The blaze, which began mid-afternoon on Wednesday, was upgraded to a level-5 — the very best level of severity locally — and authorities said that conditions remained very difficult for firefighters.
Global Affairs estimates there are about 300,000 Canadian residents in Hong Kong, making them the largest Canadian diaspora outside the US.
Global Affairs Canada has not replied to a request about whether there are any Canadians who’ve died in the fireplace.
Derek Armstrong Chan, deputy director of Fire Service operations, said in a news conference that the debris and scaffolding of the affected buildings were falling down, posing additional danger to their front line personnel.
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“Besides, the temperature contained in the buildings concerned could be very high,” Chan said. “It’s quite difficult for us to enter the constructing and go upstairs to conduct firefighting and rescue operations.”
Chan said the fireplace could possibly be one in all the deadliest in Hong Kong’s history, bringing back memories of the Garley Constructing fire in 1996 that killed 41 people and injured about 81.
Aiken Lau, a former Hong Kong banker and now resident of Coquitlam, B.C., said he remembered crying as a teen concerning the Garley Constructing fire, and the identical feelings are emerging again 29 years later.
Flames engulf a constructing after a hearth broke out at Wang Fuk Court, a residential estate within the Tai Po district of Hong Kong’s Latest Territories, Wednesday, Nov. 26 2025.
AP Photo/Chan Long Hei
Firefighters attempt to extinguish a flames engulfing a constructing after a hearth broke out at Wang Fuk Court, a residential estate within the Tai Po district of Hong Kong’s Latest Territories, Wednesday, Nov. 26 2025.
AP Photo/Chan Long Hei
“I left very heartbroken once I first saw the news,” Lau said. “Although I even have been away from Hong Kong for greater than 20 years, I still have strong feelings for the town, and I hate to see people there suffering in pain.
“I hope the missing people could possibly be found as soon as possible.”
Officials have said the Tai Po fire began on Wednesday in external bamboo scaffolding on a 32-storey tower and later spread due to windy conditions.
Lau said there are various questions on the cause and the way the deadly flames could have moved so quickly.
Conservative Richmond Centre — Marpole member of Parliament Chak Au also took to social media to specific his sadness, saying his heart is with Hong Kong.
Au, who worked as an assistant professor on the Chinese University of Hong Kong before immigrating to Canada in 1988, said in an interview that the news hit home for him.
Au’s son is a firefighter with the City of Richmond, and the previous city councillor also said the situation of the Hong Kong blaze within the Tai Po district is near his former workplace.
“Tai Po district is barely several stops away from the Chinese University of Hong Kong, my former workplace, and it’s a really population-dense city,” said Au.
“My heartfelt condolences to all who lost family members — including the firefighter who died within the line of duty — and my thoughts are with the injured and the numerous families still waiting for news of the missing,” he added. “I also pray that more survivors will be rescued.”
John Lee, Hong Kong’s chief executive, said that the situation on the scene is regularly getting under control, and a “holistic investigation” has been launched.
Several local media outlets reported that police had arrested three men on suspicion of manslaughter in reference to the fireplace.
Lau said all he’s hoping for is for the death toll to stop climbing.
“Once I dug into the history of deadly fires in Hong Kong, the fireplace that occurred in Sham Shui Po in 1962 is the worst one, which has killed 44 people and left tons of of individuals homeless, but I wasn’t born at the moment, and I didn’t know much of it,” said Lau.
“I’m extremely fearful that the newest fire might break the record of 1962. It’s devastating.”
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with files from The Associated Press
© 2025 The Canadian Press