Hong Kong Apartment Blaze Death Toll Climbs to 146, Exposing Widespread Safety Lapses
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A devastating apartment complex fire in Hong Kong has claimed 146 lives, with investigators still searching for bodies in the charred buildings. The tragedy has sparked widespread outrage and calls for improved safety measures. The fire broke out on Wednesday at the Wang Fuk Court complex in Tai Po, a suburb near Hong Kong's border with mainland China. It took three days to fully extinguish, leaving hundreds of residents without homes. Many are being housed in emergency shelters or city hotels, with authorities working on longer-term solutions. Preliminary investigations suggest the fire started on a lower-level scaffolding net, fueled by foam panels that caught fire and blew out windows. Winds helped the flames jump from building to building, engulfing seven of the eight structures. The disaster has exposed serious safety lapses, including faulty fire alarms and the use of non-flame-retardant safety nets. Authorities have suspended work on 28 building projects undertaken by the same contractor, Prestige Construction & Engineering Company, for safety audits. Three men, including directors and an engineering consultant, were arrested on suspicion of manslaughter and gross negligence. Police have also arrested eight more suspects, including scaffolding subcontractors and renovation project managers. The Indonesian Foreign Ministry has confirmed that seven Indonesian migrant workers were among the dead, while several dozen are still unaccounted for. The Philippines Consulate General in Hong Kong reported that one Filipina domestic helper was killed and 12 others remain missing. In a show of solidarity, hundreds of Filipinos gathered in central Hong Kong to pray and sing hymns in tribute to the fire victims. The Chinese government has announced a nationwide inspection of high-rise buildings to identify and remove fire hazards. The Wang Fuk Court fire is the worst on record since a warehouse blaze in 1948 killed 176 people. It has sparked renewed calls for improved safety measures in Hong Kong's high-rise buildings, which house millions of residents.
