“They Rescued My Soul”: Firefighters Reunite Owners with Pets After Hong Kong Tower Blaze

When a fast-moving fire ripped through the Wang Fuk Court housing estate in Hong Kong, 43-year-old airline engineer Jacky Lee raced home desperate to reach Jason, her 15-year-old grey poodle. The blaze tore through seven high-rise blocks and became the city’s deadliest fire in decades, killing at least 151 people and leaving families and neighbours in shock.

Hope amid the smoke

Lee waited with other displaced residents at a nearby school converted into a shelter, anxiously seeking news. As the flames grew through the night, she was told that searches for pets had been halted. Then, just as hope dimmed, a firefighter phoned to ask whether she kept a dog in unit 2703 of Wang Kin House.

The next day Jason was returned to Lee, carried by a volunteer after being found in the still-smoking building. Lee later described the moment as overwhelming: "He was still shaking when I saw him from afar. I called his name, he saw me and stopped. Then he smiled. I was so happy I was out of my mind, I felt like I was in shock."

"The firefighters also rescued my soul," Lee wrote on social media after the reunion.

Large-scale animal rescue and grief

Rescue teams and animal-welfare groups worked to identify and care for animals pulled from the site. The Hong Kong SPCA reported that teams removed 209 animals — including dogs, cats, fish, hamsters and turtles — from the buildings; 63 animals were confirmed dead. Volunteers posted photos on social media in efforts to reunite pets with owners, while many residents shared remembrance messages for animals that did not survive.

District councillor Lau Chun-hoi urged neighbours to continue searching for missing animals and recommended leaving food and water on some floors to help any pets that might still be trapped. "Animals have a very strong will to live," he said, adding that many residents regard pets as family and may be grieving intense losses.

Calls for pet-friendly support

Displaced residents also called on authorities to provide pet-friendly temporary housing. Lee said it had been difficult to find immediate accommodation that would accept animals and urged officials to include pet owners in relief planning. In the days after the rescue, Jason remained timid and close to Lee, but a veterinarian reported he had only mild dehydration and was already returning to his usual, perky self.

The human stories from the disaster — both tragic and heartening — underline how deeply people in Hong Kong care for their animals, and highlight the practical and emotional importance of including pets in emergency planning and recovery efforts.