But behind the disaster is a wave of civil outrage that is quietly flaring up, raising a series of questions about responsibility, construction management and fire safety in one of the most modern cities in Asia.
On November 30, a mourning atmosphere covered Hong Kong (China) as people continued to lay flowers and light candles to commemorate the victims of the apartment fire in Wang Fuk Court, Tai Po - the city's worst disaster in nearly 80 years.
At the same time, a wave of quiet anger is breaking out. A group of residents has submitted a petition requesting clarification of the responsibility of the government, independent investigation of corruption, ensuring resettlement for people and a comprehensive review of the project's supervision.
This application attracted more than 10,000 signatures in a short time before being paid. A citizen living abroad also made a similar petition. Hong Kong people (China) need truth and justice, wrote a KY signatory.
On November 29, police arrested Miles Kwan, a 24-year-old college student, on charges of inciting fires. Beijing immediately issued a strong warning, requiring it not to use disasters to cause disorder.
The fire broke out on the afternoon of November 26, quickly spreading to 7/8 of the 32-storey apartment buildings, which were being sealed with bamboo scaffolding and green nets for renovation. The foam insulation layer made the fire spread even more strongly.
As of the afternoon of November 30, 128 people have been confirmed dead, 150 people are still missing, and 11 subjects have been arrested for investigation of corruption and construction violations.
This was the deadliest fire since 1948, when 176 people died in a major fire at a warehouse.
Rescue forces ended their main mission on November 28, but police said more bodies could still be found in the coming weeks.
One of the most explosive details is the Wang Fuk Court fire alarm system not working properly. Officials admit this, although last year, residents repeatedly warned about the risk of fire and explosion during the renovation process. They are concerned about the flammability of the green protection net, unsafe construction materials and limited escape routes due to bamboo scaffolding.
The Hong Kong Department of Labor (China) said that residents had submitted petitions since September 2024, but at that time, authorities reassured them that the "risk of fire and explosion was relatively low".
The Hong Kong government (China) is launching criminal investigations and corruption investigations, and many large and small businesses have sent donations to support the victims' families. However, people's expectations now no longer stop at humanitarian support.
The disaster has raised big questions about project quality supervision, renovation licensing processes, emergency response capacity and transparency of the government.
