146 Killed In Fire In Hong Kong, Thousands Of Residents Queuing Up To 2 Km To Pay Respect

An apartment fire in Hong Kong/PHOTO Cyril Yoshi via Wikimedia Commons

JAKARTA - The number of victims who died as a result of a large fire that hit a number of high buildings in the Tai Po area continues to grow to at least 146 people. The police conveyed the update at a press conference, Sunday, November 30.

The death toll can still increase because the search process is still ongoing. In addition to the death toll, 79 people were reported injured and 150 others are still missing.

The intense fire engulfed seven of the eight residential blocks in the Wang Fuk Court complex since last Wednesday.

There have been accusations that flammable material installed on the outside of the building has accelerated the spread of fire, sparking public anger and concern.

Reporting from the BBC, thousands of residents packed the Wang Fuk Court area on Sunday, November 30, to pay tribute to the victims. The mourner queue even snaked up to almost two kilometers.

Since the fire broke out, the number of victims has continued to grow as the authorities evacuate and identify the bodies. The exact cause of the fire is still being investigated.

Eight people have been arrested on suspicion of corruption related to the renovation of the building, while three others were arrested on charges of murder. The fire that spread rapidly either upwards or between blocks was completely extinguished on Friday morning, after more than 2,000 firefighters were deployed.

On the same day, the police began entering the building to look for evidence. Authorities estimate the investigation process will last three to four weeks. As of Sunday, searches in four blocks have been completed.

The Indonesian Consulate in Hong Kong said that at least seven Indonesian citizens were among the dead. The Philippine Consulate also reported that one resident had died.

A firefighter, Ho Wai-ho (37), was also declared dead. He was found unconscious about 30 minutes after the last contact.

The fire department said the fire peak temperature reached 500 degrees Celsius. A total of 12 firefighters were also injured while on duty.

The fast-paced brand of fire is said to have been triggered by the presence of plastic nets and other flammable materials outside the building, as well as the bamboo periphery commonly used in renovation projects in Hong Kong. This incident again sparked debate about the safety of the use of bamboo devices.

A number of residents admitted that they did not hear the fire alarm when the incident occurred. Initial checks showed all the alarms in the eight blocks were not functioning optimally.

The Independent Anti-Corruption Commission (ICAC) stated that a number of people arrested in the corruption investigation were directors of engineering companies and subcontractors. The police considered that there were indications of serious negligence that caused the fire to spread uncontrollably.

Hong Kong's building department has temporarily suspended work on 30 private construction projects. Police have also reportedly detained a 24-year-old man on suspicion of sedition after he participated in filing a petition demanding an independent investigation into the fire.

The fire has been Hong Kong's deadliest in more than 70 years. The government set a period of mourning for three days, starting Saturday. The Hong Kong and Chinese flags were raised by half a pole, with three minutes of silence.

Thousands of people continued to come to the location to lay flowers and prayers, including migrant workers. A worker from Indonesia, Romlah Rosidah, admitted that he was surprised to see the many residents who came to pray for the victims.

"This event is only through social media, but his heart is moved," he told Reuters.

Wang Fuk Court was built in 1983 and provided nearly 2,000 units for about 4,600 residents. Based on the 2021 census, nearly 40 percent of its residents are over 65 years old, some of whom have lived there since the complex was established.