HONG KONG, China — The city of Hong Kong stood united in grief on Sunday as thousands of mourners formed extensive queues stretching over 1.2 kilometers near the charred remains of Wang Fuk Court, where a catastrophic fire claimed at least 146 lives in the deadliest residential blaze the city has witnessed in decades. The solemn gathering in the Tai Po neighborhood became the epicenter of collective mourning, with residents dressed in dark attire holding floral tributes, many waiting hours to pay their respects.
The tragedy has triggered multiple investigations, with Hong Kong police and the Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) launching parallel probes into the circumstances surrounding the inferno. Authorities confirmed the death toll had risen significantly from initial estimates as recovery teams expanded their search through devastated apartments, staircases, and hallways where the structural damage complicated identification efforts.
In a development that has drawn international attention, law enforcement agencies have made 11 arrests connected to the incident, including three individuals detained on manslaughter charges. The city’s political landscape further intensified when a 24-year-old student, Miles Kwan, was reportedly arrested for sedition after distributing leaflets demanding governmental accountability and an independent investigation into the fire.
The Beijing-appointed national security office in Hong Kong issued a statement expressing firm support for local authorities in punishing what it described as attempts by ‘anti-China forces to exploit the tragedy for chaos.’ Meanwhile, practical responses emerged across the city: The Housing Department conducted emergency structural assessments of adjacent buildings, the Buildings Department suspended work at 30 private construction sites, and the Hong Kong Jockey Club donated approximately $9 million from a closed-door racing event to victim relief efforts.
With 54 bodies yet to be identified and approximately 40 residents still unaccounted for, the community’s grief extended beyond Tai Po. Memorial services organized in the central business district and Victoria Park attracted hundreds of attendees, including many migrant domestic workers observing their Sunday off. Consular officials confirmed at least seven Indonesian nationals and one Philippine migrant worker were among the fatalities, highlighting the international dimension of this domestic tragedy.