The devastating fire that swept through the Wang Fuk Court housing complex in Hong Kong has claimed the lives of at least 146 people, making it the territory's deadliest blaze in over 70 years. As the official death toll continues to rise, thousands of mourners are gathering at the site, reflecting widespread grief and mounting public anger over safety failures and alleged corruption linked to the tragedy.
Police announced the grim new tally on Sunday but cautioned that the final figure remains uncertain, noting they "cannot rule out the possibility of further fatalities." As recovery and identification efforts proceed, authorities are also accounting for 150 missing persons, while 79 individuals sustained injuries in the disaster.
The fire, which began on Wednesday, rapidly engulfed seven of the eight high-rise tower blocks in the northerly Tai Po district. The speed and scale of the inferno—which spread quickly both upwards and laterally between the separate buildings—have focused intense scrutiny on the materials used in renovation work, specifically the plastic netting and other flammable substances found on the buildings' exteriors. Officials have confirmed that these materials, along with commonly used bamboo scaffolding, contributed to the uncontrolled spread of the flames.
Investigation Underway: Corruption, Negligence, and Sedition Arrests
The fire, which reached a peak temperature of $500^{\circ}\text{C}$ ($932^{\circ}\text{F}$), required the efforts of more than 2,000 firefighters and was only fully doused on Friday morning, roughly 40 hours after it began. Twelve firefighters were injured, and the fire service suffered a profound loss with the death of 37-year-old Ho Wai-ho, who was found collapsed at the scene.
Authorities have launched a comprehensive investigation that is expected to take three to four weeks. The inquiry has already led to multiple arrests on serious charges:
Corruption: Eight people, including directors at an engineering company and scaffolding subcontractors, have been detained by the Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) on suspicion of corruption related to the recent renovations.
Manslaughter and Negligence: Three other individuals were arrested on manslaughter charges. A police spokesperson indicated that there is reason to believe "those in charge at the company were grossly negligent," allowing the fire to "spread uncontrollably."
Adding a layer of political controversy, a 24-year-old man was reportedly detained on suspicion of sedition on Saturday. He was allegedly part of a group petitioning for an independent probe into the handling of the fire and its aftermath.
Safety Lapses and Building History
The tragedy has brought critical safety standards into sharp relief. Several residents reported that they did not hear a fire alarm when the blaze erupted, a claim supported by the Hong Kong fire service's own findings, which determined that alarms in all eight blocks were not working effectively.
The widespread use of bamboo scaffolding for construction work in Hong Kong has also been placed back into public debate following the incident. In the immediate aftermath, Hong Kong's Buildings Department temporarily suspended works on 30 private projects as a precautionary measure.
Wang Fuk Court, a subsidized housing estate, was constructed in 1983. According to a 2021 government census, it housed approximately 4,600 residents in its 1,984 apartments. Demographics indicate that nearly 40% of its residents are estimated to be at least 65 years old, with some having lived in the complex since its construction.
International Grief and Mourning
The victims of the fire include several foreign nationals. Indonesia's consulate in Hong Kong confirmed that at least seven of its citizens had died, and the Philippines' consulate reported the death of one of its nationals.
In honor of the deceased, the region's authority declared a three-day mourning period, which began on Saturday. The period was marked by officials observing three minutes' silence, and the flags of China and Hong Kong were flown at half-mast.
The public response has been overwhelming, with thousands flocking to the scene to lay flowers, pray, and offer handwritten messages to the victims. Long queues of mourners, stretching as far as $2\text{km}$ ($1.2\text{ miles}$), demonstrated the collective impact of the disaster.
Indonesian worker Romlah Rosidah expressed her astonishment at the turnout, telling Reuters that she was "very surprised" by the number of people who came to pray, remarking on how their hearts were moved by the news. Similarly, a Filipino worker emphasized the sentiment of solidarity, stating they joined the prayers "to show the Hong Kong community that we are one in this situation."
While the investigation continues to seek the exact cause of the blaze, the incident now stands as Hong Kong's second-deadliest recorded fire after the 1948 warehouse explosion which killed 176 people, and trailing only the catastrophic 1918 Happy Valley Racecourse fire that claimed over 600 lives.
0 Comments