Vietnam ready to protect citizens after deadly Tai Po apartment complex fire in Hong Kong

Vietnam’s Consul General in Hong Kong Le Duc Hanh said on Thursday that the fire, which erupted on Wednesday, caused extremely serious human and material losses.

Authorities have confirmed that some foreign nationals were among the dead victims.

At least 94 people died in the blaze that engulfed the Wang Fuk ​Court complex, with eight 32-story towers in the northern district, Reuters reported on Friday, adding that "scores are still missing."

Hanh said the consulate held an emergency meeting, assigned staff to track developments, and remains on high alert to deploy citizen protection measures if needed.

Before the blaze, the entire residential complex was undergoing major renovation.

Its facades were covered with bamboo scaffolding and green plastic mesh, and many apartment windows had been sealed off to facilitate the work.

Because the fire occurred in a densely populated area and rescue teams are still working under urgent conditions, officials say the identification of victims is not yet complete.

Vietnamese nationals in Hong Kong who need help have been advised to contact the consulate’s 24/7 citizen protection hotline at +852 6923 4922.

Also on Thursday, the Hong Kong authorities announced a HK$300 million (US$38.5 million) relief fund to support residents in the affected buildings.

Each impacted household will receive an emergency allowance of HK$10,000 ($1,285).

Authorities are mobilizing public and private resources to arrange temporary accommodation for displaced residents.

Chief executive of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region John Lee Ka-chiu said the immediate priorities are to conduct a criminal investigation into those responsible and review the entire regulatory and enforcement process, including licensing and safety management.

Police described the Tai Po fire as the deadliest in Hong Kong since 1948, surpassing the 1996 Kowloon commercial building blaze that killed 41 people.

Since March 2025, Hong Kong authorities have been gradually phasing out bamboo scaffolding to improve workplace safety, following 22 deaths linked to the material between 2019 and 2024.

About half of the public construction projects are expected to switch to metal scaffolding systems.