In brief
A devastating fire at Wang Fuk Court in Hong Kong has resulted in at least 128 fatalities, prompting intense anger and scrutiny from the public towards safety practices within the residential estate. Authorities are facing accusations of negligence related to substandard materials used during renovations, while investigations are underway regarding the failure of fire alarms and the overall management of safety protocols. Many residents believe this tragedy could have been prevented.
Shock is giving way to anger in Hong Kong after a massive fire ripped through a densely populated subsidised housing estate on Wednesday, killing at least 128 people and critically injuring dozens.
Authorities say substandard mesh and plastic sheets on the buildings' windows may have spread the blaze, which raged for more than a day.
Firefighting operations have now ended, with dozens of residents still unaccounted for.
Questions are mounting as to how the fire at Wang Fuk Court spread so rapidly and who is responsible, with many calling it a man-made disaster.
Three people in charge of renovating the blocks are under arrest for manslaughter, and authorities have launched a corruption inquiry.
A post that has gone viral on social media in the wake of the blaze reads: It's not an accident. Several residents have revealed in interviews that the fire alarm did not sound when the fire broke out. Authorities said on Friday that they had checked the fire alarms in all eight blocks and found that they were not working properly.
Kiko Ma, who owns an apartment at Wang Fuk Court, says the alarms had been turned off amid renovation works, as construction workers regularly used fire escapes to get in and out of the building.
This was preventable... A lot of people did not do their duties, the 33-year-old tells the BBC, claiming that the renovation firm used poor quality, flammable materials. Residents often saw construction workers smoking and found cigarette butts along their window ledges.
Hong Kong's deadliest fire in at least 63 years has sparked widespread outrage, revealing issues related to safety standards, management, and oversight in the city’s subsidized housing structures. Reports indicate that renovations had been a source of unease among residents long before the incident, with many now feeling betrayed by a lack of transparency and accountability from those in charge.
