Amid the heartbreak of the Wang Fuk Court blaze that has claimed 146 human lives, a tiny ray of light emerged when firefighters battled through smoke and flames to save Jason, a 15-year-old grey poodle left alone on a high floor, in a story that has melted hearts across Hong Kong.
The elderly dog’s owner, still reeling from the disaster, shared screenshots of a moving late-night conversation with the firefighter who carried Jason to safety.
The rescuer explained how they heard faint barking, forced the door, spotted a note on the wall reading “Jason”, and softly called the dog’s name until the frightened poodle shuffled over and placed a paw in the firefighter’s hand. “He really fought hard to make us open the door,” the firefighter wrote, adding that life is precious and urging everyone to cherish one another.
When Jason was reunited with his owner on 27 November, he was shaking uncontrollably from shock and cold until celebrity animal advocate Sharon Kwok sat on the ground and cradled him, calming him.
The owner later learned the volunteer's identity who had comforted his “baby” and publicly thanked both her and the fire crew, writing that no words could ever express his gratitude for risking their lives to save his dog.
Social media erupted with praise for the firefighters’ tenderness and dedication, with thousands hailing them as Hong Kong’s angels who treat every life—human or animal—as equally worth saving.
Many also saluted Sharon Kwok Sau-wan, the former actress and beauty queen turned passionate animal-welfare campaigner, for dropping everything to help on the ground.
Kwok, a former Miss Chinese International Pageant second runner-up and TVB actress turned prominent animal-welfare advocate, has long been a familiar face in Hong Kong’s rescue circles.
Daughter of one of Ocean Park’s founders and married into the powerful Pong steel family.
She has spent decades on the front lines of animal protection—founding parrot rescue efforts and serving as an ambassador for dolphin conservation, among many other activities.
