Hong Kong Fire Update: Authorities in Hong Kong have detained 13 people on suspicion of manslaughter in relation to last week’s tragic fire. This was followed as they face mounting criticism from citizens over the detention under national security provisions of at least two civilians seeking accountability.
Emergency personnel continued to search through the 7 towers of the Wang Fuk court complex in Tai Po on Monday. It was just days after the city’s deadliest fire in 75 years. The death toll rose to 151 and is anticipated to rise further as the search continues. About 40 people are still missing.
The nearly 5000-person estate was undergoing significant renovations, which have been connected to the cause of the Fire. Following the revelation that locals had been complaining about the renovations for a year, resentment has increased over a list of prior safety violations by the construction business operating at the site and slack enforcement of rules.
The Hong Kong Fire
At least 151people lost their lives in Hong Kong’s deadliest fire in decades. It has sparked concerns about corruption and carelessness in the apartment complex’s renovations.
7 of the 8 hours at the Wang Fuk court complex in the Northern districts of Hong Kong court fire on Wednesday afternoon. The complex was home to approximately 4800 inhabitants. Some of the people had raised safety concerns about the modifications more than a year before the Fire.
Who is accountable for the Hong Kong Fire
Investigators are exploring whether the scaffolding materials fulfilled safety regulations, why form panels blocked windows, and why fire alarms failed to sound, the police report noted.
Three directors of construction companies and an engineering consultant have already been taken into custody by the police. 8 more people, including project managers and scaffolding subcontractors, have been arrested by Hong Kong’s anti-corruption bureau.
Wang Fuk court stands in Tai Po, a planned “New Town” built in the late 1970s. It is home to around 300,000 people across income classes. The region is now watching and waiting as authorities explore the mistakes that allowed the flame to grow so swiftly.
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