Hong Kong Observes Mourning Period
Hong Kong has initiated a three-day mourning period following a fire that resulted in 128 fatalities. City officials conducted a moment of silence on Saturday morning outside government headquarters. John Lee, the city leader, along with other officials, observed three minutes of silence. Flags of China and Hong Kong were flown at half-mast. Public memorial points have been established across the city for individuals to pay respects and sign condolence books.
Incident Details
The fire, which is the deadliest in Hong Kong in nearly 80 years, engulfed multiple tower blocks on Wednesday. It spread to seven of the eight blocks within Wang Fuk Court. Over 2,000 firefighters were deployed to control the blaze over approximately two days. The cause of the fire remains under investigation. Authorities have indicated that polystyrene and protective netting on the building exteriors, as well as the bamboo scaffolding commonly used in Hong Kong construction, may have facilitated its spread. Hundreds of individuals remain unaccounted for.
Investigations and Arrests
An investigation into the incident has commenced and is expected to continue over the coming weeks, with police collecting evidence from the site. Residents have reported issues with non-functional fire alarms and alleged negligence related to renovation works at Wang Fuk Court.
Eleven individuals have been arrested in connection with the incident. Eight arrests were made on Friday on suspicion of corruption concerning the renovation works. Those detained reportedly include directors from an engineering company and scaffolding subcontractors, according to the Independent Commission Against Corruption (Icac). Three additional individuals were previously detained on manslaughter charges. Hong Kong's Labour and Welfare Secretary, Chris Sun, stated that his department conducted 16 checks on the renovation works at Wang Fuk Court since July of the previous year.
Building Information
Wang Fuk Court, constructed in 1983, contained 1,984 apartments and housed approximately 4,600 residents as per a 2021 government census.