Azerbaijani president offers condolences to Chinese leader following Hong Kong fire

President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev has sent a letter of condolence to Chinese President Xi Jinping.

Aliyev expressed his sympathy over the tragic loss of life caused by a recent fire in a residential complex in Hong Kong, Caliber.Az reports via the official presidential website.

On November 26, a catastrophic fire broke out at the Wang Fuk Court housing estate in Hong Kong’s Tai Po district. The blaze, which began in the afternoon, quickly spread through bamboo scaffolding and flammable netting used for ongoing renovations, engulfing seven of the estate’s eight high‑rise towers.

The complex, home to approximately 4,800 residents across 2,000 apartments, was swiftly evacuated as thick smoke and flames poured from windows, and sections of the surrounding scaffolding collapsed.

Emergency services mounted a large‑scale response, with hundreds of firefighters and dozens of fire engines working continuously for over 24 hours to contain the fire. Despite these efforts, the disaster proved deadly.

By November 28, authorities confirmed that at least 128 people had died, with 79 injured and around 200 residents still unaccounted for.

By Aghakazim Guliyev