Hong Kong, Nov 28 (V7N) — Hong Kong police have arrested three officials of a construction company on suspicion of manslaughter following the city’s deadliest fire in nearly 80 years, which has killed at least 83 people, with dozens more reported missing.
The blaze, which began Wednesday at the Wang Fuk Court housing complex in Tai Po district, was mostly contained by early Friday after raging for more than 24 hours. The complex, comprising eight high-rise towers undergoing renovations, was wrapped in bamboo scaffolding and green mesh at the time of the fire.
Deputy Director of Fire Services Derek Armstrong Chan said most victims were found in two of the high-rise blocks. Firefighters also rescued residents in several buildings, although details of survivors remain limited. Rescuers faced extreme heat, thick smoke, and collapsing scaffolding while trying to reach trapped residents on upper floors.
Police arrested two directors and an engineering consultant of Prestige Construction, the firm contracted for maintenance work at the complex. Officials said the suspects were implicated for using unsafe materials that contributed to the fire’s rapid spread. Police Superintendent Eileen Chung stated, “We have reason to believe the company’s responsible parties were grossly negligent, which led to this accident and caused the fire to spread uncontrollably, resulting in major casualties.” Authorities also seized company records, computers, and mobile phones during a raid.
The confirmed death toll of 83 makes this Hong Kong’s deadliest fire since 1948, when 176 people died in a warehouse blaze. Earlier reports listed 279 people as missing, though that figure has not been updated for 24 hours.
Amid the tragedy, global figures have expressed solidarity. Pope Leo sent condolences through a telegram to Hong Kong’s Cardinal Stephen Chow Sau-yan, offering spiritual support to victims and families.
Hong Kong Chief Executive John Lee announced the creation of a HK$300 million ($39 million) relief fund for affected residents. Corporations including Xiaomi, Xpeng, Geely, Alibaba Foundation, and Tencent have also pledged donations.
Evacuees, including elderly residents and schoolchildren, have set up temporary shelters outside nearby malls, with volunteers providing essentials such as food and toiletries. The Wang Fuk Court housed over 4,600 people in 2,000 apartments, highlighting the city’s housing shortages.
The fire has drawn comparisons to London’s 2017 Grenfell Tower disaster, in which flammable exterior cladding and regulatory failures contributed to 72 deaths. Experts warn similar safety oversights in renovation materials may have exacerbated the Hong Kong fire.
China’s President Xi Jinping has called for an “all-out effort” to extinguish the fire and minimize casualties, signaling the Chinese and Hong Kong governments’ urgent response to the tragedy.
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