Six arrests over deadly Hong Kong tower fire
Sultanul Arefin 
Authorities in Hong Kong have arrested six people over the deadly Wang Fuk Court apartment fire in Tai Po.
Police allege the suspects, linked to a fire services contractor, disabled some fire alarms while carrying out renovation work on the complex.
Investigators also say the group is suspected of giving false information to the fire services department about the system’s condition.
Death toll rises and victims identified
The blaze, which raged through seven of the estate’s eight towers, has become one of Hong Kong’s deadliest modern fires.
Officials report 159 confirmed deaths and 79 injuries, with around 30 people still unaccounted for.
Victims range in age from a one-year-old baby to a 97-year-old resident, underlining the fire’s devastating reach across generations.
Hazardous scaffolding and rapid blaze spread
The fire broke out on 26 November as the high-rise complex underwent major exterior repairs.
Flammable plastic netting wrapped around bamboo scaffolding, along with foam boards on windows, is believed to have helped the flames spread quickly up the towers.
Residents had reportedly raised concerns about safety risks linked to the renovation materials before the disaster.
Difficult search and grim discoveries
Emergency crews battled the blaze for more than 40 hours before it was finally extinguished.
Teams have now searched all seven burnt-out buildings, recovering bodies from apartments, stairwells and even rooftops.
Police say suspected human remains have also been found in debris from collapsed bamboo scaffolding and will undergo DNA testing.
Citywide safety review and public anger
In response, the Hong Kong government has ordered all external scaffolding nets on similar renovation projects to be removed and retested before use.
At least 300 buildings are expected to be affected by this order, signalling a large-scale review of construction safety.
Meanwhile, families of victims and survivors are demanding accountability, arguing that the tragedy was preventable and that warnings about fire hazards went unanswered.
Featured Image: AP
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Suzan Seherin 