Officials in Hong Kong say that security tolerances have contributed to the deadliest construction fire – nationwide
Officials in Hong Kong said on Monday that their investigation into the deaths of at least 151 has revealed some of the procedures used to prepare for the fire, as the government faces further criticism.
Wednesday’s blaze, which took until Friday to fully extinguish, started in the bamboo floor of the ground floor It flooded inside as the foam panels placed on top of the fire-bound Windows hit the glass. The winds carried the flames from building to building, all covered, seven of seven.
The first test of the Networch was shown in the code, but after that the investigators collected 20 samples from all areas, and they found high levels of security, and they found cheap contractors to make a big profit, said the Secretary General of Eric Can.
“They just wanted to make money at the expense of people’s lives,” he told reporters.
Donations to survivors of the fire had reached 900 million Hong Kong dollars ($115 million) as of Monday, authorities said, as many people placed flowers, cards and other tributes at the rest of the buildings near the burned building block.
“When something happens, we come out to help each other,” said Loretta Loh, after paying her helper at the site. “I have a heavy heart.”
About 4,600 people live in Wang Fuk Court in the Tai Po suburb.
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Staff from the Hong Kong Police Affinit Disaster Unit quickly searched five of the burned houses but only partial progress was made on the remaining two, said Tsang Shuk-Yin, head of police casualty investigation. Crews were checking the safety of other buildings, including the one that caught fire first and suffered the most damage.
On Monday they recovered eight more bodies, including three that firefighters had previously found but were unable to retrieve. Many people remain unaccounted for, but others may be among the 39 bodies that have yet to be identified, Tsang said.
“We will have to wait until we get to all seven blocks before we can make a final report,” he said.
Private donations and 300 million Hong Kong dollars ($38.5 million) in initial capital from the government will be used to help victims rebuild their homes and provide long-term support, local officials said. The government has also provided survivors with funding to help with expenses, including funerals, and is working to help them find housing.
On Monday, 683 residents found places in hotels and hostels, while another 1,144 moved into shelters. Two emergency shelters remain open for others, authorities said.
Residents have complained for nearly a year about the construction of the four, Hong Kong’s Ministry of Labor said. It confirmed that the officials had carried out 16 inspections of the reconstruction project since July 20 2024 and warned the contractors repeatedly in writing that they must meet the fire safety requirements. The last inspection was a week before the fire.
Hong Kong’s anti-corruption authorities and police arrested 14 people, including directors and an engineering consultant for the construction company, according to Chris Tang, security secretary.
More and more people have been questioning whether government officials should also be held responsible.
“People are angry and they think that the HK (Hong Kong) government should be held accountable,” said Jean-Pierre Cabostan, a political scientist at the Asia Center Calke Thrance.
But the leeway for dissent is limited in the former British colony, which came under Chinese control in 1997 and has moved to quiet public criticism on national security grounds.
“There are rumors being spread by bad people who give fake news and don’t use proper firefighting tactics, or victims are charged 8,000 Hong Kong dollars a night,” said Tang.
“We will arrest these rumormongers.”
On Saturday, the national security defense office blasted what it called “evil plans” that were aimed at using the crisis to create trouble and disrupt Hong Kong. ” It did not provide details.
And on Saturday, a man who helped organize an online petition calling for the government to be held accountable for alleged treason, local sources including HK01 and the daily Tao sing. Two others were arrested on Sunday, including a volunteer who provided aid in Tai Po after the fire broke out, the same outlets reported.
Cabestan said that Hong Kong officials are acting as authorities in Mainland China, before the protests escalate.
Tang would not give specific details about the three arrests, but said the police “must take action” against those trying to be safe across the country, taking advantage of every moment. “
Opposition to the city has been exhausted since hundreds of thousands took to the streets in 2019 against the government’s strategy to allow the extraction of Chinese land. Hong Kong is now almost engulfed in massive protests and political opposition barricades in the run-up to legislative elections.
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