A catastrophic No. 5 alarm fire that engulfed Wang Fuk Court in Tai Po last week, finally contained after burning for over 43 hours, left a tragic legacy extending beyond human displacement and injury: hundreds of resident pets were reported missing, injured, or deceased. This incident, unfolding between Wednesday, Nov. 26, and Friday, Nov. 28, required a massive, coordinated response from emergency services, culminating in significant animal rescue and recovery efforts led by groups like the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA).
The long-duration blaze at the housing complex resulted in extensive damage and critically impacted the animal residents living in the towers, including Wang Yan House (Block A) and Wang Tao House (Block B). According to aggregated figures compiled by the SPCA, which synthesized data from various volunteer organizations, a total of 339 pets were officially affected by the inferno.
Vast Rescue Effort Saves and Recovers Animals
As firefighting operations transitioned into recovery and structural assessment, the focus shifted to locating and treating the surviving animals. By the evening of Saturday, Nov. 29, the SPCA had actively assisted the Fire Services Department in handling 136 animals confirmed to be alive. Sadly, the organization also reported recovering 45 bodies of deceased pets.
The rescued animals represented the diverse urban fauna found in Hong Kong homes, including domestic cats, dogs, various species of birds, and several turtles. Rescuers, mindful of the time-sensitive nature of emergency care, immediately triaged the surviving pets. They were then transferred to a collaborative network of veterinarians, professional animal welfare groups, and volunteers for specialized treatment and ongoing care.
Law enforcement played a direct role in initial rescues. Police units reported specifically saving three cats from the interior of Wang Yan House and successfully extracting a turtle from Wang Tao House, ensuring these animals were handed over promptly to the SPCA for expert medical attention.
Search Teams Confirm No Human Casualties in Worst-Hit Blocks
While the animal toll was heartbreakingly high, relief arrived for the hundreds of affected residents concerning potential human casualties. Assistant Police Commissioner Lam Man-han of New Territories North provided an update on Saturday, confirming a thorough sweep of the two most severely affected residential towers.
More than 600 officers from the Disaster Victim Identification Unit were deployed to methodically search Wang Yan House and Wang Tao House once the critical fire hotspots were neutralized. Commissioner Lam confirmed that these exhaustive searches yielded a crucial finding: no human remains were discovered within the two blocks. Animal rescue operations found during these sweeps were securely transferred to the SPCA, allowing the police recovery teams to concentrate on structural integrity assessments and the search for missing persons elsewhere.
Next Steps for Community Recovery
The Wang Fuk Court disaster highlights the critical need for comprehensive disaster planning that includes pets, particularly in high-density residential areas. Organizations like the SPCA and their partners now face the immense task of reuniting the 136 rescued animals with their owners and providing long-term rehabilitation for those injured. This incident serves as a poignant reminder of the interconnectedness of human and animal welfare during large-scale urban emergencies, prompting community leaders to assess and bolster resources dedicated to pet safety and logistics following major structural fires. Affected residents are encouraged to contact dedicated animal welfare hotlines for information regarding lost or rescued pets.