Hong Kong mourns those killed in tower fire tragedy

Hong Kong's deadliest blaze in decades, which has claimed 128 lives so far in a housing estate in Tai Po district, has been fully extinguished after a 43-hour battle.

Some 200 people remain unaccounted for. That includes 89 bodies that have not yet been identified.

In the latest development, officials announced additional relief of HK$200,000 ($25,700) for each victim's family and HK$50,000 per affected household. Separately, a government support fund has now received HK$500 million in public donations, in addition to an initial HK$300 million from the government.

To mourn the victims of the blaze, Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu, other senior officials, non-official Executive Council members and civil servants will observe a moment of silence at the government headquarters at 8 am on Saturday.

A three-day mourning period will concurrently begin, with flags flying at half-mast at all government facilities, including those overseas, and the cancellation of all government-funded celebratory events. Officials will refrain from attending non-essential public events.

The torch relay and opening ceremony of the upcoming 12th National Games for Persons with Disabilities and the 9th National Special Olympic Games of the People's Republic of China, scheduled to open on Dec 8, have been canceled. A simple closing ceremony will be held afterward.

The fire began at around 3 pm on Wednesday at the eight-tower Wang Fuk Court, which was under renovation at the time of the incident, and is home to about 2,000 households. The blaze was fully put out at 10:18 am on Friday.

The cause of the fire remains under investigation. The city's anti-corruption body Independent Commission Against Corruption arrested eight individuals related to the incident on Friday, including two directors of Will Power Architects Company, the renovation project's engineering consultant.

This brought the total number of arrests to 11. Two directors of the registered contractor responsible for the renovation works, Prestige Construction & Engineering Co, and an engineering consultant from the company had been arrested by police early on Thursday.

Briefing newspersons on Friday afternoon, Hong Kong Secretary for Security Chris Tang Ping-keung explained that the fire is believed to have originated near the lower-floor mesh netting of Wang Cheong House and rapidly spread because of the highly flammable styrofoam attached to the windows.

With firefighting operations now completed, the Buildings Department will conduct structural safety inspections, after which the police will take over to carry out detailed investigations and search operations. The entire process is expected to take three to four weeks.

Acting Commissioner of Police Andrew Kan Kai-yan said that they have arranged sufficient personnel and are prepared to commence work immediately. They anticipate significant challenges during the search due to persistently high temperatures exceeding 200 C in some areas, poor internal conditions and confined spaces.

"Each building will be unsealed immediately after its search is completed, allowing affected residents to return to their homes as soon as possible to assess their situations," Kan added.

A total of 391 fire engines and 2,311 firefighters and paramedics were deployed at the site. One firefighter was killed and 12 firefighters were injured during the response, with one still in the Intensive Care Unit, according to the Fire Services Department.

Addressing public questioning on not using high-tech equipment such as helicopters, trucks with taller aerial ladder or drones, Director of Fire Services Andy Yeung Yan-kin explained that a helicopter would have brought downwash of air, potentially facilitating the flames to spread quicker and stronger.

Meanwhile, taller aerial ladder trucks require broader stabilization space, often unavailable on Hong Kong's narrow urban streets. As for drones, their current firefighting capacity remains limited, as the smaller hoses they carry cannot simultaneously combat fires across multiple units effectively, Yeung added.

Secretary for Security Tang expressed gratitude to the Fire Services Department for their around-the-clock firefighting and rescue efforts and acknowledged the timely support from the central government and Guangdong authorities. He also noted the help that has poured in from various sectors of society.

In a press briefing, Secretary for Home and Youth Affairs Alice Mak Mei-kuen announced financial relief for those affected: a HK$200,000 condolence payment for each victim's family; a HK$50,000 allowance for affected households, with payments to be made from next week. She also reported that 1,200 households have been registered for the HK$10,000 emergency fund, with 78 already paid.

Secretary for Education Christine Choi Yuk-lin announced that each Tai Po primary and secondary school will receive HK$100,000, and each kindergarten will get HK$50,000 to arrange relief initiatives, including psychological counseling and essential student supplies. The government will also hold five seminars this weekend to equip teachers and parents with skills to support traumatized children, urging all schools to monitor student well-being.

Zhou Ji, director of the Liaison Office of the Central People's Government in Hong Kong SAR and Nong Rong, deputy director of the State Council's Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office, visited temporary shelters in Tung Cheong Street Community Hall and Tung Cheong Street Sports Centre on Friday morning.

They met with displaced residents and on-site staff to discuss relief efforts, thanking the staff and pledging the central government's full support in coordinating with mainland authorities.

In the wake of the tragedy, condolences and donations have continued to pour in. As of Friday, at least HK$1 billion had been received from both within and outside the city.

The Macao government also announced a donation of HK$30 million for relief and post disaster reconstruction efforts. Macao Chief Executive Sam Hou-fai also expressed his condolences to the victims and their families, appealing to Macao society to support Hong Kong through various means, in a demonstration of the profound friendship and brotherhood between the two regions.

Contact the writers at stushadow@chinadailyhk.com