Hong Kong Reels from Deadly Apartment Fires, Beijing Issues Stern Warning
Hong Kong - Anger and grief are mounting in Hong Kong following a devastating fire that ripped through seven high-rise residential blocks near the border with mainland china, killing 128 people and leaving 150 still missing as of Saturday. Authorities have launched criminal and corruption investigations into the blaze, the city’s deadliest sence a 1948 warehouse fire that claimed 176 lives.
The fire, which began Wednesday afternoon, rapidly engulfed the eight 32-storey blocks at the Wang Fuk Court complex, which were undergoing renovations and heavily covered in bamboo scaffolding, green mesh, and foam insulation.Rescue operations concluded Friday, though police state further bodies may be discovered during continued searches of the hazardous site. During the operation, three cats and a turtle were rescued.
Eleven people have been arrested in connection with the disaster, as investigators focus on potential corruption and the use of unsafe materials during the renovations. Authorities have confirmed that fire alarms at the Wang fuk Court estate, home to over 4,600 people, were not functioning properly.
Residents had previously voiced concerns about fire hazards related to the renovation work, including the flammability of the protective green mesh used on the scaffolding, reporting these issues to the Labor Department in September 2024. They were later told by authorities last year that they faced “relatively low fire risks.”
The tragedy has sparked a wave of public outcry and the launch of online petitions demanding accountability. A second petition was initiated by a Tai Po resident now living overseas. “Hongkongers demand the truth and justice,” one commenter, identified as KY, wrote on the new petition.
Amidst the growing anger, China’s national security authorities issued a warning Saturday against individuals attempting to exploit the disaster for political purposes. “We sternly warn the anti-China disruptors who attempt to ‘disrupt Hong Kong through disaster’,” the statement read. “No matter what methods you use, you will certainly be held accountable and strictly punished under the Hong Kong national security law and the Safeguarding National Security Ordinance.”
Donations are pouring in from companies and groups to support the victims of the fire. The incident occurs against a backdrop of heightened political sensitivity in Hong Kong, following pro-democracy protests in 2019 and the subsequent imposition of a Beijing-backed national security law.
