HONG KONG (AP) — On Sunday, the death toll from the devastating fire at Wang Fuk Court, an apartment complex in Hong Kong, rose to 146 as investigators continued to discover more bodies among the charred ruins. This tragic incident is now recognized as one of the worst fires in the history of the city, prompting an outpouring of grief as mourners gathered to pay their respects at a makeshift memorial.
The Disaster Victim Identification Unit of the Hong Kong police has been meticulously searching the Wang Fuk Court complex. Officer Cheng Ka-chun reported that teams have recovered bodies from both apartment units and rooftops, with searches hampered by poor visibility inside the buildings. Currently, four out of the seven blocks have been thoroughly examined.
According to Tsang Shuk-yin, the head of the police casualty unit, the latest searches uncovered an additional 30 bodies, including 12 previously spotted by firefighters but not yet recovered. In total, around 100 individuals remain unaccounted for, and 79 have sustained injuries. Local citizens have been leaving flowers and notes at the memorial site, expressing their condolences and solidarity with the victims.
Lian Shuzheng, one of the mourners, highlighted the severe implications of the tragedy, emphasizing the need for improved safety measures in Hong Kong’s high-rise buildings. Meanwhile, in response to the disaster, Hong Kong officials announced the suspension of 28 building projects by Prestige Construction & Engineering Company, the contractor involved with Wang Fuk Court, pending safety audits due to potential violations of fire regulations.
The day after the fire broke out, three men, who are directors and an engineering consultant of the construction company, were arrested on suspicion of manslaughter, with police suggesting that gross negligence may have been a factor. These individuals were later released on bail but were re-arrested by anti-corruption authorities along with eight others, including subcontractors and project managers.
In light of public concern over the incident, multiple petitions have emerged online, demanding a thorough investigation into the circumstances surrounding the fire. However, the Chinese national security authority cautioned against any “disruptive” actions related to the disaster, warning that those who challenge government authority would be held accountable under the National Security Law.
The fire, which occurred on Wednesday and took until Friday to fully extinguish, is believed to have originated from lower-level scaffolding. It spread rapidly as foam panels ignited, shattering windows and allowing flames to engulf the complex. Chris Tang, the secretary for security in Hong Kong, noted that high winds contributed to the blaze's rapid spread between buildings.
Initial investigations revealed that some fire alarms in the complex, which housed many elderly residents, failed to activate when tested. Among the deceased are seven Indonesian migrant workers and a Filipina domestic helper, with several others still unaccounted for, raising concerns over the safety of tenants.
In response to this tragedy, hundreds of members of the Filipino community gathered in central Hong Kong to honor the victims through prayers and hymns. The Ministry of Emergency Management in Beijing subsequently announced a nationwide inspection of high-rise buildings to eliminate fire hazards. This inspection will focus on elements such as bamboo scaffolding, flammable safety nets, and inadequate firefighting equipment.
The Wang Fuk Court fire is the deadliest incident in Hong Kong since a warehouse blaze in 1948, which claimed 176 lives. The historical records show that the most catastrophic fire in Hong Kong was the 1918 Race Course Fire, where more than 600 individuals lost their lives.
