Hong Kong and Beijing officials have warned against what they claim are “external forces” threatening to exploit last week’s deadly apartment complex fire for political disruption, as rescuers say at least 159 people have been confirmed dead.
The fire at the Wang Fuk Court in northern Hong Kong is the city’s worst disaster in 75 years, and the world’s most fatal residential building fire since 1980. The eight-tower complex – home to nearly 5,000 people – was under extensive renovations that have since been found to contain substandard, flammable materials.
The secretary for development, Bernadette Linn, on Wednesday ordered all Hong Kong buildings undergoing major maintenance to remove their scaffolding netting by Saturday. The South China Morning Post reported the order would affect about 200 buildings.
Authorities have arrested 15 people on suspicion of manslaughter, and another six on a different charge, over the estate’s fire alarms, which malfunctioned at the time of the blaze, police said. But much of the government’s focus has been on perceived political disruptors.
Since the 2019 pro-democracy protests and subsequent government crackdown on all civil and political dissent, authorities in Hong Kong and Beijing have made national security an overriding priority in the city, effectively crushing or silencing all opposition.
At least three people have been detained under national security laws since the fire, including a university student, Miles Kwan, who promoted an online petition making “four demands” for victim support and accountability for those responsible.
Hong Kong’s government on Wednesday warned against “foreign forces, including anti-China media organisations”, sowing discord, making “malicious attacks” and “slanderous remarks”.
The city’s leader, John Lee, also warned against crimes that “exploit the tragedy”.
Beijing’s national security arm in Hong Kong on Wednesday accused a “small group of hostile external forces” of taking advantage of the disaster to “stir up trouble and incite chaos”, creating petitions and replicating tactics of the 2019 protests.
In a lengthy statement, the Office for Safeguarding National Security accused the unnamed forces of hiding in shadows, fanning flames, and “throwing mud” at the Hong Kong government and rescuers.
“Their intentions are sinister, their actions are despicable, and they have provoked the wrath of both man and god,” it said, using a Chinese idiom.
None of the statements provided details or examples of the behaviour they warned against, or identified the “external forces”, except for the reference by the office to petitions.
A student union-run noticeboard at Hong Kong Baptist University – nicknamed a “democracy wall” – was blocked off on Wednesday, an Agence France-Presse reporter saw.
The message stuck to the board, which remained visible behind tall barricades, read: “We are Hongkongers. Urge the government to respond to public demands so justice can be done.”
Meanwhile, the search and rescue officials said the number of dead might still be revised as “suspected human bones” had been found that required forensic testing. Police said 19 of the 159 dead were yet to be identified.
Investigators are focused on the materials used in the renovation works, some of which are believed to have made the fire worse. As the blaze spread, flames quickly covered the surfaces of the apartment blocks, which were wrapped with bamboo scaffolding, protective netting and foam boards.
Lee had announced a judge-led independent review committee, rather than the more legally powerful inquiry commission that many had expected would be set up.
Outgoing pro-establishment lawmaker Doreen Kong has said an inquiry commission would be better.
“The government should give a valid justification for choosing to use a non-statutory committee to investigate,” she told Hong Kong Free Press.
Mourners have continued to stream to a small park near the charred buildings, placing hundreds of bouquets and notes of remembrance for the victims – the youngest of whom was a one-year-old, and the oldest 97.
“I hope people can come here to lay their grief to rest,” said Sarah Lam, a volunteer organiser of the memorial events, adding that the victims suffered “many injustices”.
Residents of the sole unaffected tower were allowed to return home briefly on Wednesday to retrieve belongings.
More than 2,900 residents had been provided with temporary housing, officials said.
