Hong Kong Fire Hero: Man Dies In Blaze One Month Away From Marrying Girlfriend of 10 Years - Meet Hei Weihao

A towering fire that tore through one of Hong Kong's ageing high-rise estates has left the city mourning a firefighter who died just weeks before his planned wedding. The inferno at Wang Fuk Court in Tai Po is now regarded as one of the deadliest in living memory, casting a sombre shadow across the territory.

Firefighter Ho Wai-hou, also known as Hei Weihao, died on the afternoon of the blaze at Wang Fuk Court, a 31-storey residential complex in Hong Kong's Tai Po district. The fire broke out on 26 November 2025, triggering an urgent response as heavy smoke spread rapidly through the ageing buildings. Ho, 37, had served in the fire services for nine years after previously working as a special police officer at an airport.

He arrived at the scene at around 3:01 p.m., joining crews conducting urgent searches as conditions worsened. By approximately 3:30 p.m., contact with Ho was lost while he was searching underground. Around 30 minutes later, colleagues found him collapsed in an open area outside the building with severe burns to his face.

He was rushed to hospital, where he was pronounced dead at around 4:45 p.m. His death prompted immediate messages of mourning from colleagues and members of the public. The Hong Kong Fire Services Department placed its website into black-and-white mode as a formal sign of condolence.

Tributes Across The City

Ho's colleagues shared photos taken with him across social media, adding tributes such as 'We will not forget you. Rest in peace.' These messages were accompanied by posts from citizens on Ho's Instagram account, including comments thanking him for his service and calling him a hero to Hong Kong.

Netizens expressed their gratitude for his actions during the emergency. Condolences extended across platforms, reflecting both public grief and respect for Ho's long service record. His work on the front lines and his earlier career in policing were repeatedly acknowledged in tributes. Many commenters highlighted the difficult conditions firefighters faced during the fast-moving blaze.

A Wedding Left Unfulfilled

Reports confirmed that Ho had been preparing to marry his girlfriend of ten years next month. He had frequently posted photographs of the couple travelling or spending time together, showing their long-standing relationship. The news added a deeply personal weight to the tragedy.

In an emotional message posted to her thread, Ho's girlfriend thanked netizens for their support. She wrote that her 'superhero has completed his mission and gone to Krypton', expressing pride while also stating that she could not accept the loss. She added that she wished she could hold his hand again.

These remarks were widely shared, becoming part of the collective mourning surrounding Ho's death. The messages highlighted the extent of the personal loss behind the public tragedy. Many supporters offered condolences in response to her words.

A Blaze With Devastating Casualties

The fire at Wang Fuk Court has resulted in at least 94 confirmed deaths, with hundreds of people reported missing. Authorities have warned that the death toll may rise as search operations continue. Some observers have noted that the scale of loss could make this incident one of Hong Kong's worst fires in history.

Preliminary reports have pointed to flammable foam boards blocking lift windows and bamboo scaffolding wrapped in construction safety nets as possible accelerants. These materials, used for large-scale renovation works, may have acted as kindling as flames climbed the structure. Investigations into the full cause remain ongoing.

Wang Fuk Court, built in 1983, consists of eight residential buildings, each over 30 storeys tall. The estate houses around 2,000 households and approximately 4,600 residents. About 40% of those residents are aged 65 or older.