Hong Kong authorities have arrested 13 people on suspicion of manslaughter as investigations intensify into the massive fire that swept through the Wang Fuk Court residential estate, now confirmed as the city’s deadliest blaze in decades. The tragedy, which broke out last Wednesday, has claimed at least 151 lives, with more than 40 people still unaccounted for.
Police and forensic teams have continued painstaking searches of the seven heavily damaged towers, where bodies have reportedly been discovered in stairwells, corridors and on rooftops—areas residents attempted to reach in a desperate effort to escape the flames. Officers in protective gear have been seen combing through smoke-blackened apartments and debris-filled hallways as part of what officials say could be a weeks-long operation.
Speaking during a briefing on Monday, police representative Tsung Shuk Yin became emotional while acknowledging the severity of the situation, stating that the intense heat had made identification in some cases extremely difficult and that not all missing individuals may be located.
Preliminary findings from investigators have raised serious safety concerns over renovation work that was ongoing at the estate. Tests carried out on green mesh sheeting used around bamboo scaffolding reportedly failed to meet fire-retardant standards. Authorities say the non-compliant materials were placed in locations that could have made detection during inspections difficult. In addition, foam insulation used in the construction works is believed to have accelerated the spread of the fire.
It has also been revealed that fire alarms at the complex were not functioning properly at the time of the incident, significantly reducing warning time for residents.
Chief Secretary Eric Chan confirmed that contractors used materials below required safety levels and suggested there may have been deliberate concealment in areas harder for inspectors to access. Fourteen additional people connected to the renovation project have already been sentenced to five years in prison following separate proceedings.
The human cost of the disaster has deeply affected both local and international communities. Among the confirmed victims are at least nine domestic workers from Indonesia and one from the Philippines. Thousands of residents and sympathisers have gathered near the estate to pay their respects, with long lines of mourners seen along nearby canals. Authorities have also confirmed that memorial vigils are scheduled to be held in cities including Tokyo, London and Taipei.
At the same time, public anger is growing over reports that residents had raised safety complaints last year. According to the Labour Department, people living in Wang Fuk Court expressed concerns as far back as September 2024 about possible fire risks associated with the renovation materials. Despite these warnings, the estate was reportedly deemed to pose a “relatively low fire risk.”
This revelation has triggered demands for an independent investigation. On Saturday, a 24-year-old man, Miles Kwan, who was linked to a petition calling for a corruption probe and a review of building regulations, was briefly detained by police. While he was later seen leaving a police station, questions remain about further action. Two other people have also reportedly been arrested on suspicion of seditious intent in connection with calls for public accountability.
Beijing’s national security office has since issued a stern warning against using the tragedy to spark political unrest. In a statement, it said those attempting to exploit the situation to destabilise Hong Kong would be dealt with strictly under the law.
Meanwhile, the humanitarian response continues. More than 1,100 displaced residents have been transferred to temporary housing, while another 680 have been accommodated in hostels and hotels. Each affected household will receive an emergency assistance payment of HK$10,000 (about $1,284), and fast-track services have been introduced to help replace lost documents such as identity cards and passports.
Wang Fuk Court, which housed more than 4,000 people before the disaster, is now an eerie shell of scorched concrete and twisted metal. As the city prepares for upcoming legislative elections, the tragedy has cast a long shadow over Hong Kong, reviving painful memories of the 1948 warehouse blaze that killed 176 people — the only fire in the territory’s history to claim more lives.
Source:Africa Publicity
