Anger simmers over Hong Kong deadly blaze as Beijing warns against 'disruption'

Anger implicit a deadly blaze astatine a Hong Kong high-rise flat complex simmered connected Sunday arsenic Beijing warned against attempts to usage the catastrophe to disrupt the city, portion radical crossed the fiscal hub continued to mourn for the much than 128 vicitms.

Police connected Saturday detained 1 idiosyncratic who was portion of a radical that launched a petition demanding authorities accountability, an autarkic probe into imaginable corruption, due resettlement for residents, and a reappraisal of operation oversight, 2 sources acquainted with the substance said.

University pupil Miles Kwan, 24, was arrested connected suspicion of trying to incite sedition successful narration to the blaze successful the Wang Fuk Court analyzable successful the bluish Tai Po district, the South China Morning Post reported. Hong Kong police did not respond connected Sunday to a petition for comment.

The online petition promoted by the radical reached implicit 10,000 signatures by Saturday day earlier it was closed.

A 2nd petition with the aforesaid demands has been launched by a Tai Po nonmigratory who is present surviving overseas.

"Hongkongers request the information and justice," wrote KY successful the remark conception of the caller online petition.

The blaze that ripped done 7 high-rise residential blocks adjacent the borderline with mainland China has stunned Hong Kong and authorities person launched transgression and corruption investigations arsenic choler and dismay grow.

The origin of the blaze, which killed 128 radical and near 150 inactive missing, is inactive to beryllium determined.

Authorities are connected tenterhooks to debar any broader public backlash aft pro-democracy protests roiled the metropolis successful 2019, starring to a Beijing-imposed nationalist information law.

China's nationalist information authorities connected Saturday warned individuals against utilizing the catastrophe to disrupt the city.

"We sternly pass the anti-China disruptors who effort to 'disrupt Hong Kong through disaster'. No substance what methods you use, you volition surely beryllium held accountable and strictly punished nether the Hong Kong national information instrumentality and the Safeguarding National Security Ordinance."

Authorities person arrested 11 radical successful transportation with the city's worst blaze successful astir 80 years arsenic they investigate possible corruption and the usage of unsafe materials during renovations astatine the Wang Fuk Court complex.

Rescue operations astatine the tract concluded connected Friday, though constabulary accidental they whitethorn find much bodies arsenic they comb done the hazardous, burnt-out buildings successful coming weeks.

Hundreds of officers deployed to hunt for remains recovered nary further bodies but rescued three cats and a turtle, police officials told a property conference.

The occurrence started connected Wednesday day and rapidly engulfed 7 of the 8 32-storey blocks astatine the analyzable that were wrapped in bamboo scaffolding and greenish mesh and layered with foam insulation for the renovations.

Donations person poured in from ample and tiny companies arsenic good arsenic different groups to assistance the victims.

Authorities person said the occurrence alarms astatine the Wang Fuk Court estate, location to implicit 4,600 people, had not been moving properly.

The occurrence is Hong Kong's deadliest since 1948, erstwhile 176 radical died successful a warehouse blaze.

Residents of Wang Fuk Court were told by authorities past twelvemonth they faced "relatively debased occurrence risks" after complaining astir occurrence hazards posed by the renovation, the city's Labour Department said.

The residents raised concerns successful September 2024, including astir the imaginable flammability of the protective greenish mesh contractors utilized to screen the bamboo scaffolding, a section spokesperson said.