The Tai Po high-rise fire that broke out on the afternoon of November 26, 2025, was Hong Kong’s deadliest blaze in decades and one of the city’s most significant events so far this century. The fire burned for 43 hours before it was tamed, devastating seven of the eight 31-story towers of Wang Fuk Court and claiming 168 lives as well as leaving nearly 5,000 residents displaced.

In a city where high-rise living is the norm, the disaster resonated deeply with all Hongkongers.

Recognising its role as Hong Kong’s newspaper of record, the South China Morning Post print edition produced a special supplement, From Ashes, Strength, that covered the blaze and its immediate aftermath. The supplement, which was published just five days after the blaze broke out, had the primary objective of capturing the profound emotional impact of the tragedy, honouring those who died and celebrating the resilience of the survivors.

Letting pictures tell the story

Designed by senior designer Emilio Rivera, the eight-page supplement made full use of the double-wide broadsheet layout.

The design was visually driven, prioritising and giving space to the powerful photographs taken by SCMP’s award-winning photographers. These images ranged from the visceral horror of the blaze itself to the intimate, heartbreaking portraits of those left behind, and to the powerful moments of a community coming together to provide much-needed resources and emotional support.

These photo montages served as centrepieces for each of the supplement’s three two-page spreads.

Connecting humans in tragedy

Complementing the visual narrative were stories written by some of the newspaper’s top reporters. These reports focused on the human element of those impacted by the tragedy, from the outpouring of love for the firefighter who lost his life to family members recounting their agonising search for news of their relatives.

Crucially, the supplement also raised questions of accountability, including calls for tighter oversight of building maintenance and fire safety.

The final page of the supplement featured an infographic produced by SCMP’s award-winning graphics team that created a visual timeline of how the disaster spiralled out of control.

Ultimately, From Ashes, Strength provided a dignified memorial for Hong Kong in the immediate aftermath of some of the city’s darkest days and was a testament to the power of print journalism in the digital age.

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