China’s national security authorities on Saturday warned individuals against using the disaster to “plunge Hong Kong back into the chaos” of 2019, when massive pro-democracy protests challenged Beijing and triggered a political crisis.
“We sternly warn the anti-China disruptors who attempt to ‘disrupt Hong Kong through disaster’. No matter what methods you use, you will certainly be held accountable and strictly punished.”
FIRE ALARMS NOT WORKING PROPERLY
Authorities have arrested 11 people in connection with the blaze, as they investigate possible corruption and the use of unsafe materials during renovations at the complex.
Rescue operations at the site concluded on Friday, though police say they may find more bodies as they comb through the hazardous, burnt-out buildings in the coming weeks.
The fire started on Wednesday afternoon and rapidly engulfed seven of the eight 32-storey blocks at the complex, which were wrapped in bamboo scaffolding and green mesh, and layered with foam insulation for the renovations.
Authorities have said the fire alarms at the complex, home to over 4,600 people, had not been working properly.
The fire is Hong Kong’s deadliest since 1948, when 176 people died in a warehouse blaze.
Residents of Wang Fuk Court were told by authorities last year they faced “relatively low fire risks” after complaining about fire hazards posed by the renovation, the city’s Labour Department said.
The residents raised concerns in September 2024, including about the potential flammability of the protective green mesh contractors used to cover the bamboo scaffolding, a department spokesperson said.
https://www.channelnewsasia.com/east-asia/hong-kong-fire-wang-fuk-court-tai-po-bodies-found-5495346
