Hong Kong Fire: Viral video claims a man smoking caused Hong Kong’s deadly Wang Fuk Court fire [Photo: X]
A horrible fire has ripped through a housing estate in Hong Kong’s Tai Po district, killing at least 128 people and leaving around 200 unaccounted for. As families mourn, a video showing a man allegedly smoking near the building just minutes before the blaze went viral, raising fresh questions about what sparked the tragedy. Investigators have not yet confirmed smoking as the cause, and many experts point to renovation materials and safety failures instead.
A video of a man smoking near scaffolding at Hong Kong’s Wang Fuk Court went viral after a massive fire killed at least 128 people. The clip sparked widespread claims that a cigarette caused the city’s deadliest blaze in decades. But is this true? We checked.
It has been claimed that a viral video shows a worker smoking at the renovation site, and users claim the cigarette caused the tragic fire.
Authorities have not confirmed that smoking triggered the fire. Investigators have instead pointed to flammable renovation materials, not a cigarette, as the most likely cause. Officials say the fire “likely started on the protective nets outside the lower floors and spread rapidly due to burning foam boards and bamboo scaffolding.
They said the foam panels and green nets acted like fuel, allowing flames to climb multiple floors in minutes. So far, no agency has said that the cigarette seen in the viral clip ignited the blaze.
The clip shows a man smoking minutes before the fire began. Its timing created panic and led many to assume a direct link. But investigators say the video alone is not evidence. They also note that the rapid upward spread of the fire matches the behaviour of burning renovation materials, especially polystyrene foam.
Authorities and Hong Kong’s anti-corruption body are probing:
Yes. Investigators explained that bamboo poles broke during the blaze and fell, spreading fire across the compound. This suggests the disaster was driven far more by construction conditions than by a single cigarette.
Even if a cigarette started the first flame — which is still not proven — experts say the scale of destruction was only possible because:
This means the tragedy reflects deep safety flaws, not just one man smoking.
Based on the facts and information available and shared by authorities, the Hong Kong Fire didn't happen due to smoking a Cigarette, so the viral video that is floating around can be misleading.
A man was indeed smoking near the site, but authorities didn't confirm that smoking caused the blaze. Investigators say flammable renovation materials caused the rapid spread, but the cause is still under investigation. At present, there is NO official confirmation that a cigarette started the fire.
