Hong Kong's Deadliest Blaze in Decades Sparks Corruption Investigation
A devastating fire at the Wang Fuk Court apartment complex in Hong Kong has claimed at least 128 lives, making it the city's deadliest blaze in decades and raising serious questions about corruption and negligence in building renovations.
The inferno broke out Wednesday afternoon in Hong Kong's northern suburbs, rapidly engulfing seven of the eight towers in the residential complex that housed approximately 4,800 residents. The fire burned uncontrollably for nearly 40 hours, with firefighters only bringing it under full control by Friday morning.
Safety Warnings Ignored Before Tragedy
Documents reveal that residents had been raising safety concerns about the renovation project for almost a year before the catastrophic fire. The labor department confirmed receiving these complaints and conducted 16 inspections of the Wang Fuk Court renovation project since July 2024.
Despite multiple written warnings to contractors about fire safety requirements, including an inspection conducted just one week before the fire, the dangerous conditions persisted. The department claimed the safety netting had proper quality certificates but admitted it hadn't been the primary focus of previous inspections.
Preliminary investigations indicate the fire started on lower-level scaffolding netting and spread rapidly when it ignited highly flammable foam panels covering windows. "The blaze ignited the foam panels, causing the glass to shatter and leading to a swift intensification of the fire," explained Chris Tang, the city's secretary for security.
Multiple Arrests and Ongoing Investigations
Police arrested three men from the construction company on suspicion of manslaughter and gross negligence on Wednesday. These suspects were later arrested by the Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) on Saturday night, highlighting potential corruption in their leadership roles during renovations.
The ICAC had previously arrested seven men and one woman associated with the project. While police haven't officially named the company involved, documents from the homeowners association website identified Prestige Construction & Engineering Company as responsible for the renovations.
Authorities have seized boxes of documents from the company and are investigating both the scaffolding netting and foam panel materials used in the project. The labor department revealed the company faced three prosecutions for safety regulation breaches related to working at height, with convictions in two cases resulting in fines totaling HK$30,000 ($3,850).
Systemic Failures and Human Cost
Fire services director Andy Yeung disclosed that some fire alarms in the complex, which housed many elderly residents, failed to sound during tests. First responders faced immense challenges as the fire raged out of control, with crews prioritizing apartments from which they had received emergency calls but couldn't reach during the blaze.
The human toll continues to mount, with authorities needing to identify 44 more bodies from the 128 recovered. Approximately 150 people remain unaccounted for, including 11 Indonesian migrant workers working as domestic helpers in the complex. The Indonesian foreign ministry confirmed two Indonesian migrant workers were among the deceased.
The tragedy claimed one firefighter's life and left 79 people injured, including twelve firefighters who battled the massive blaze.
Community Mourns and Demands Accountability
Near the fire site, mourners created makeshift memorials with white roses, lilies, and carnations. One emotional sign asked, "More than 128 innocent lives, what did they do wrong?" The city lowered flags to half-staff, and Chief Executive John Lee led a three-minute silence with officials dressed in black.
This fire represents Hong Kong's deadliest since 1996, when a commercial building fire in Kowloon killed 41 people. The 1948 warehouse fire claimed 176 lives, according to historical records.
As investigations continue, the tragedy has exposed critical gaps in building safety enforcement and raised urgent questions about whether proper procedures were followed despite multiple warnings about potential hazards.
