Shock is giving way to anger in Hong Kong after a massive fire ripped through a densely populated subsidized housing estate on Wednesday, killing at least 128 people and critically injuring dozens.
Authorities say substandard mesh and plastic sheets on the buildings' windows may have spread the blaze, which raged for more than a day.
Firefighting operations have now ended, with dozens of residents still unaccounted for.
Questions are mounting as to how the fire at Wang Fuk Court spread so rapidly and who is responsible, with many calling it a man-made disaster.
Three people in charge of renovating the blocks are under arrest for manslaughter, and authorities have launched a corruption inquiry.
A post that has gone viral on social media in the wake of the blaze reads: It's not an accident. Residents revealed that the fire alarm did not sound when the fire broke out. Authorities confirmed that they found the alarms in all eight blocks were malfunctioning.
Kiko Ma, an apartment owner at Wang Fuk Court, stated that the alarms had been turned off amid renovation works, as construction workers regularly used fire escapes.
This was preventable... A lot of people did not do their duties, she expressed, claiming that poor quality construction materials were used.
Despite being the deadliest fire in Hong Kong in decades, officials face allegations of mismanagement and substandard safety protocols during renovations.
The Hong Kong fire department has noted significant challenges in rescue operations owing to the high temperatures and the small, crowded interiors of the apartments.
According to the 2021 census, Wang Fuk Court houses around 4,600 residents, many of whom are elderly. The rapid spread of the fire and lack of effective alerts have elicited public anger regarding the handling of safety standards in Hong Kong housing.
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