Canadian watched childhood home burn as Hong Kong blaze killed more than 100 people

Toronto resident Paul Chow was devastated when the apartment where he grew up made international news this week after a raging inferno tore through seven highrise towers in Hong Kong, leaving more than 100 dead and hundreds missing. 

It has been a roller-coaster of emotions for Chow, who has gone from worry to sadness, distress and anger as he watched in horror, seeing the place he was born and lived for more than 30 years engulfed in flames, and knowing many of his former neighbours were still unaccounted for. 

“I want to cry and feel speechless,” said Chow, adding that the tragedy has kept him up at night. 

The deadly fire, which was the worst in Hong Kong in decades, ripped through much of the eight-block Wang Fuk Court housing complex in Hong Kong’s Tai Po district on Wednesday. 

The blaze jumped rapidly from one building to the next as foam panels and bamboo scaffolding covered in green mesh netting installed by a construction company caught fire.

Hong Kong Fire Services said it took firefighters a day to get the fire under control, noting it was fully extinguished by Friday morning, about 40 hours after it started. 

Chow was a former councillor of Tai Po District in Hong Kong before moving to Toronto in 2022. He said the apartment complex is a little more than 40 years old, and most residents who live in the Wong Fuk Court are seniors.

Chow said his parents and his sister live on the seventh floor in one of the buildings, and he rushed to get in touch with them as soon as he saw the news. 

Fortunately, Chow said his parents were on vacation when the fire broke out, and his sister was at work. 

He said that although his loved ones are safe and now temporarily staying at a family member’s home, his parents still aren’t allowed to go inside to check the conditions of the unit.

Before the fire broke out, the Wang Fuk Court complex had been under renovation, with exterior walls of the highrises being shrouded in green mesh netting and bamboo scaffolding. 

Officials in Hong Kong said they are now investigating the materials used, both the netting on the scaffolding and the foam panels covering windows, to see if they contributed to the blaze.

Chow said the inferno has left his family heartbroken. They are also frustrated as they just put money toward the renovation before the fire. 

“They are very depressed and disappointed because we paid more than 100,000 Hong Kong dollars (about C$17,952) for the construction, and it caught on fire and many people lost their lives,” said Chow with red, tear-filled eyes. 

“This is very ridiculous, and I don’t even know why this could have happened in a modern society like Hong Kong?”

Chow said he believes this is a human-caused incident, and he said this “disaster in Hong Kong history” could have been avoided.

Chow said he hopes the people and companies who are responsible for the tragedy will be held accountable, adding that the Hong Kong government should take more action to ensure affected residents have a warm place to stay as they await compensation. 

“I think the most important thing is still to find out the truth of the incident,” said Chow, adding that he appreciates the world’s attention as it will keep pressure on local authorities. 

Lina Chiu from Richmond, B.C., moved to B.C. from Hong Kong 30 years ago, and she said she has two friends, a couple, living in the Wang Fuk Court. She “almost broke down” after losing touch with them on Wednesday. 

Chiu was relieved to learn, after a number of phone calls and messages on WhatsApp, that her friends were safe. However, they lost everything in the fire, including their home. 

“My friends said they didn’t have much time to bring valuable items with them when they tried to escape from the burning flames. They only brought their ID cards, phones, and bank cards. They didn’t even have time to bring some clothes,” Chiu said in an interview in Chinese on Saturday. 

She said both have cancer, but they didn’t have a chance to grab their medicine before they fled. 

“When you are fighting for your life, you don’t have time to think,” she added. 

Chiu said she has become the emotional anchor for her friends, with frequent phone calls and tons of messages via WhatsApp every day to ensure they don’t feel lonely. 

“It’s heartbreaking to see my friends have lost their homes, but they told me that they are safe and the government has arranged a hotel for them to stay temporarily for two months,” Chiu said. 

Chiu said she was just in Hong Kong visiting her friends two months ago, and the recent tragedy left her in disbelief. 

“Life is so impermanent and unpredictable, but at least they are safe,” Chiu said. 

Global Affairs Canada estimates there are about 300,000 Canadians living in Hong Kong, and the agency said that it’s not aware of any Canadian citizens affected by the fire in Hong Kong so far. 

“Canada is deeply saddened by this tragic fire. We extend our heartfelt condolences to the families and loved ones of those who lost their lives, and wish a full and speedy recovery to all those injured,” read the statement. 

— with files from The Associated Press

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 29, 2025.