At least 146 people have died in a devastating fire that engulfed an eight-apartment high-rise complex in Hong Kong's Tai Po district, with another 100 still unaccounted for. The disaster unfolded over two days before being fully extinguished by Friday, leaving behind a trail of grief and outrage.
Shocked residents gathered at the site of the blaze to pay tribute to their loved ones, many of whom lost everything in an instant. "I can’t accept it," said Joey Yeung, whose grandmother's apartment burned in the fire. "So today I came with my father and my family to lay flowers. I’m not asking to get anything back, but at least give some justice to the families of the deceased – to those who are still alive."
Police have arrested at least three individuals in connection with the blaze, including a 24-year-old man who was part of a group that launched an online petition demanding an independent probe into possible corruption and construction oversight. The petition garnered over 10,000 signatures before being closed.
Hong Kong officials have announced an immediate suspension of work on 28 building projects undertaken by the Prestige Construction and Engineering Company, the contractor responsible for the complex. Three company officials are among at least 11 people arrested in connection with the blaze.
The disaster has sparked widespread public anger and dismay, with many Hongkongers expressing shock and outrage over the tragedy. The complex had repeatedly received warnings from residents about risks, as well as evidence of unsafe construction practices.
As authorities work to identify the victims' remains and provide support to those affected, many residents are struggling to come to terms with the disaster. "It’s heartbreaking," said Jeffery Chan, a civil servant who came to pay his respects. "As a Hong Konger, seeing people in the place where we live lose their families, lose everything in just one night – if you put yourself in their shoes, it is unbearable. They need encouragement, support and help from the people of Hong Kong."
The search process for missing persons is expected to take three to four weeks, leaving many wondering what other secrets may be uncovered about the disaster. For now, families are left to mourn the loss of their loved ones, and to seek justice in a city still reeling from the tragedy.
Shocked residents gathered at the site of the blaze to pay tribute to their loved ones, many of whom lost everything in an instant. "I can’t accept it," said Joey Yeung, whose grandmother's apartment burned in the fire. "So today I came with my father and my family to lay flowers. I’m not asking to get anything back, but at least give some justice to the families of the deceased – to those who are still alive."
Police have arrested at least three individuals in connection with the blaze, including a 24-year-old man who was part of a group that launched an online petition demanding an independent probe into possible corruption and construction oversight. The petition garnered over 10,000 signatures before being closed.
Hong Kong officials have announced an immediate suspension of work on 28 building projects undertaken by the Prestige Construction and Engineering Company, the contractor responsible for the complex. Three company officials are among at least 11 people arrested in connection with the blaze.
The disaster has sparked widespread public anger and dismay, with many Hongkongers expressing shock and outrage over the tragedy. The complex had repeatedly received warnings from residents about risks, as well as evidence of unsafe construction practices.
As authorities work to identify the victims' remains and provide support to those affected, many residents are struggling to come to terms with the disaster. "It’s heartbreaking," said Jeffery Chan, a civil servant who came to pay his respects. "As a Hong Konger, seeing people in the place where we live lose their families, lose everything in just one night – if you put yourself in their shoes, it is unbearable. They need encouragement, support and help from the people of Hong Kong."
The search process for missing persons is expected to take three to four weeks, leaving many wondering what other secrets may be uncovered about the disaster. For now, families are left to mourn the loss of their loved ones, and to seek justice in a city still reeling from the tragedy.
this fire has got me shook ... 146 lives lost is just not something you can even wrap your head around ... and the fact that there were red flags everywhere, like warnings from residents and evidence of dodgy construction practices, it's just heartbreaking how this all went down ... i'm so tired of building codes being ignored and people getting away with putting profits over human lives 
146 dead and another 100 missing? That's like a small town getting wiped out in one day 
The fact that people were warning about construction risks for months and no one listened to them is just devastating 
It's not just the lives lost, but also all the families who have been left with nothing and are still searching for answers 
The search process taking weeks is just ridiculous, can't they at least give those families some closure sooner? 
This whole thing feels so preventable and it's just heartbreaking to see a community go through this 
This fire is just devastating... 146 lives lost, over 100 still missing... it's like a nightmare come true 
. The fact that it happened due to construction oversights and possible corruption is just heartbreaking 
. It's like they were living in a bubble, thinking everything was fine, but the reality hit them so fast 
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. They're going through hell, and all we can do is sit back and watch? 
. The city needs to come together and support each other right now 
. It's not just about the victims; it's about the people left behind who need help and encouragement 
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. The city needs to invest in better construction practices, more stringent regulations, and a culture of transparency and accountability 
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. It's time for change, and it starts with the leaders and policymakers who need to take action 
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its just unimaginable 2 think how many ppl lived in dat complex n now cant even find each othr. u can feel the pain n anger of the ppl whos homes were reduced 2 ashes. police better get 2 the bottom of dis n make sure justice is served 
. the search for missing persons is going to take weeks? that's just heartbreaking. i hope justice is served ASAP
and to think they were going through all these warnings from residents and still got burned 
i mean, what was prestigius construction thinking with those apartments on top of each other?! 
. Those poor people who lost everything in an instant 
. Three weeks for search process? That's too long 
. We need to come together as a community to help each other through this difficult time 
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