Hong Kong may replace destroyed housing complex with a park
In Hong Kong, the Wang Fuk Court housing complex, destroyed by a fire in November 2025 that claimed 168 lives, will not be rebuilt. Michael Wong, Deputy Head of the Finance Bureau, stated that authorities are leaning towards demolishing the burned buildings and redeveloping the area into a park or other social infrastructure.
The fire broke out on November 26, 2025, in the Tai Po district and rapidly engulfed seven of the eight residential towers. Firefighters battled the blaze until November 28, evacuating around 5,000 residents. The city plans to allocate approximately HK$6.8 billion (US$870 million) to buy out apartments damaged by the fire. The only remaining intact tower will not be included in the buyout plan.
This approach aims to transform the area into a safer, communal space, potentially enhancing the district’s infrastructure and quality of life in the long term.
