In Hong Kong, as a result of a fire that broke out in the Wang Fuk Court residential complex on Wednesday, local authorities report that at least 128 people have died, according to the BBC.
At a press conference, it was also reported that 79 people were injured, while 16 bodies remain trapped inside the buildings. The number of missing persons continues to rise.
Tan Ping-King, head of the security service, pointed to the dangerous polystyrene installed outside the windows as the reason for the rapid spread of the fire.
According to authorities, the fire alarm system in eight blocks of the complex was found to be non-functional.
The fire has sparked a strong public reaction and raised questions about building safety standards in Hong Kong.
“This could have been avoided… Many did not fulfill their duties,” commented a local resident.
According to a police representative, they have reason to believe that the management of the construction company showed negligence.
What will happen next?
In the coming days, the police will inspect the buildings to collect evidence. At the scene, our journalists noticed people in personal protective equipment, indicating the seriousness of the situation. The investigation will continue for several weeks.
Officials also reported that DNA samples will be used to identify the deceased.
Additionally, the government plans to implement financial assistance programs for those who have lost their homes.
In Hong Kong, where shock over the incident has turned to anger, this has been the largest fire in the last 63 years, claiming at least 128 lives and leaving many injured.
Authorities believe that poor-quality building materials, such as nets and films, contributed to the spread of the fire, which raged for more than a day.
Firefighting operations have concluded, but dozens of residents are still reported missing.
Questions about how the fire spread so quickly through the Wang Fuk Court building and who is responsible are becoming increasingly pressing. Many are calling the incident a "technological disaster."
Three individuals responsible for the reconstruction have been arrested on charges of manslaughter, and an investigation into corruption has also been initiated.
A message that went viral on social media states: “This is not an accident.”
Some residents reported that the fire alarm did not go off at the time of the blaze. On Friday, authorities confirmed that they checked the alarms in each of the eight buildings and found them to be faulty.
Kiko Ma, an apartment owner in Wang Fuk Court, noted that the alarm had been turned off during renovation work, as builders often used fire escapes to access the building.
Ms. Ma lives in Canada with her family and periodically visits her apartment in Hong Kong.
“This could have been avoided… Many did not fulfill their duties,” shared a 33-year-old man in an interview with the BBC, claiming that the renovation company used “poor-quality, flammable materials.”
She also noted that locals often saw smoking builders and found cigarette butts along the windowsills.
“Everyone was asking what would happen if a fire broke out. This worried people a lot.”
This fire has become the deadliest in Hong Kong in the last 63 years, surpassing the death toll of the 1962 Sham Shui Po tragedy, which claimed 44 lives and left hundreds homeless.
The Wang Fuk Court complex, built in the 1980s in the northeastern Tai Po district, consists of eight 31-story buildings, seven of which were affected by the fire. Apartments here are offered at subsidized prices, but are managed by private companies.
According to the 2021 census, approximately 4,600 people lived in the complex, nearly 40% of whom were over 65 years old.
On Thursday, the Hong Kong Fire Service reported difficulties in rescuing residents, including high temperatures, the risk of structural collapse, and overcrowded apartments.
Hong Kong is famous for its compact, densely built housing, where many public housing tenants average only 14.1 square meters of living space.
It is unclear how many people were in Wang Fuk Court at the time of the fire, but according to the latest census data, about 4,600 people reside there. Hundreds were evacuated to temporary shelters, and some were provided with emergency housing.
While the police investigate whether the materials used during the renovation met fire safety standards, experts suggest that bamboo scaffolding connecting the buildings may have contributed to the fire's outbreak.
This scaffolding is a characteristic feature of construction in Hong Kong.
Earlier this year, authorities announced plans to gradually phase out bamboo in favor of more fire-resistant materials, citing its flammability and deterioration over time.
Hundreds of residents were moved to temporary shelters, and some received emergency housing.
Residents of Wang Fuk Court expressed concerns about reconstruction plans announced last year. The resurgence of these concerns online has led to accusations of a lack of transparency.
Another homeowner, who was abroad during the fire, described the plans as “fundamentally questionable.”
“Officials used various methods to convince unsuspecting elderly residents to support their plans,” they wrote in comments on Instagram.
Mr. Lai, a sales consultant who BBC agreed to name only by surname, noted that residents of Wang Fuk Court had previously expressed doubts about the high costs of repairs.
He added that calls for the re-election of the management committee went unheeded. According to him, the fire this week is not an isolated incident, and construction companies “often prioritize profit over safety.”
He also recalled a recent fire in Central Hong Kong caused by the ignition of bamboo scaffolding.
“Every time such incidents occur, questions arise about systemic flaws,” he concluded.
On Thursday, Hong Kong authorities ordered a check of all residential complexes to verify the “safety of scaffolding and materials.”
