Hong Kong entered a three day mourning period on Saturday after officials confirmed that at least one hundred twenty eight people died in the city’s deadliest fire in nearly eight decades. Hundreds of residents from the Wang Fuk Court housing complex remain unaccounted for as recovery work continues.
The ceremony opened with a moment of silence outside government headquarters, where Chief Executive John Lee joined senior officials in observing three minutes of quiet reflection. Flags representing China and Hong Kong were raised at half mast as the city began paying tribute to the victims.
The scale of the tragedy has intensified public anger and scrutiny over renovation work at the housing estate, prompting criminal investigations and fresh questions about fire safety oversight in one of the world’s most densely packed cities.
Authorities have arrested eleven people in connection with the disaster. Eight suspects were taken into custody on Friday on suspicion of corruption related to the construction work underway at the time of the fire. According to the Independent Commission Against Corruption, those held include directors of an engineering firm and subcontractors responsible for scaffolding.
Read Also: Hong Kong Fire Death Toll Rises To 128 As Eight More Arrested
Police earlier detained three individuals on manslaughter allegations as part of a parallel inquiry into possible negligence.
Chris Sun, Hong Kong’s labour and welfare secretary, told reporters that his department had carried out sixteen inspections at Wang Fuk Court since July last year. Officials are now gathering further evidence at the scene.
The blaze began on Wednesday and swiftly engulfed seven of the eight residential blocks in the estate. More than two thousand firefighters were deployed and spent almost two days battling flames that climbed through the building exteriors.
Investigators have not yet determined the source of the fire. They said materials used during the renovation likely helped accelerate the spread. Polystyrene sheets and protective netting placed outside apartment windows burned quickly, while the extensive bamboo scaffolding surrounding the towers provided a direct route for the flames to climb from floor to floor. Bamboo scaffolding remains widely used across Hong Kong construction projects.
Residents have voiced frustration over what they describe as overlooked hazards. Some say fire alarms failed to work and accuse the renovation company of poor oversight throughout the project. The government has established public memorial sites across the city for people to offer flowers, leave messages and sign condolence books.
Wang Fuk Court opened in 1983 and provided nearly two thousand flats for roughly four thousand six hundred residents, according to a 2021 census. Many families remain in temporary shelters while authorities search for missing people.
The next phase of the investigation will determine whether safety rules were followed and whether further arrests are likely as the city confronts the aftermath of its most devastating fire in generations.
