Hong Kong Fire Death Toll Hits 159 After Towers Searched

Last week’s fire also engulfed Wang Fuk Court in the city’s northern Tai Po district, making it the world’s deadliest residential fire since 1980.

Police said the death toll could still be revised because officers found “suspicious human bones” that required forensic examination.

Mourners continued to flock to a small park near the charred buildings on Wednesday, leaving hundreds of bouquets and tributes for the victims, whose youngest was one year old and the oldest was 97.

“I hope people can come here and relieve their pain,” said visitor Sarah Lam, adding that the victims had suffered “a lot of injustice.”

“I hope the truth comes out quickly… so that they don’t have to leave this world with such unfair complaints,” he said.

Some parts of the park were decorated with colorful origami cranes and paper and pencils were distributed to volunteers.

Forrest Li, 26, described the place as a “bridge” that allowed “communication and expression of grief through this unspoken connection” with the deceased.

– The net was cast –

Residents of the only unaffected tower were allowed to return home briefly on Wednesday to collect their belongings.

Officials previously said the fire at the property, which was undergoing major renovations, was made worse by the use of netting that did not meet fire resistance standards.

The flames soon covered the surfaces of the apartment blocks, which were wrapped in bamboo scaffolding, protective netting and foam sheets.

Development Minister Bernadette Linn on Wednesday ordered the netting of all Hong Kong buildings undergoing major maintenance to be removed by Saturday.

Police had previously arrested a total of 15 people, including construction company bosses, on suspicion of manslaughter.

Police said six other people were arrested on a different charge because of the property’s malfunctioning fire alarms at the time of the fire.

-‘There’s no place to hide’-

The disaster sparked pain as well as calls for accountability and reform.

City leader John Lee warned against crimes that “exploit tragedy”.

Beijing’s national security arm in Hong Kong on Wednesday condemned “hostile outside forces seizing the disaster to cause trouble and incite chaos.”

“All actions and words aimed at destabilizing Hong Kong will be recorded and monitored for life,” the Office for Protecting National Security said in a statement. he wrote.

“All conspiracies to disrupt Hong Kong will have no place to hide and will be completely eliminated.”

Local media reported over the weekend that three people, including 24-year-old student Miles Kwan and former district councilor Kenneth Cheung, were arrested on charges of sedition.

Both men were later seen leaving police stations.

An AFP reporter saw the noticeboard run by the student union at Hong Kong Baptist University, dubbed the “democracy wall”, being taken down on Wednesday.

The message pasted on a billboard visible behind high barricades read: “We are from Hong Kong. Call on the government to respond to the people’s demands so that justice is served.”

AFP has contacted the university for comment.