Hong Kong fire probe reveals unsafe netting as public mourns and government stifles dissent

HONG KONG AP Hong Kong authorities announced Monday that their scrutiny into a deadly blaze that killed at least has revealed particular of the netting that covered scaffolding used in renovations was not up to fire-safety codes as a wave of residents sympathy and sponsorship was met by ruling body moves to stifle criticism Wednesday s blaze which took until Friday to fully extinguish started on the lower-level netting covering bamboo scaffolding around one building in the high-rise Wang Fuk Court complex It then swept inside as foam panels placed over windows caught fire and blew out the glass Winds carried flames from building to building that all were covered in scaffolding and netting until seven of eight were ablaze Initial tests of the netting evidenced it was up to code but subsequently investigators collected samples from all areas including higher floors and identified seven failed safety standards suggesting contractors skimped to make greater profits explained Eric Chan Hong Kong s Chief Secretary They just yearned to make money at the expense of people s lives he recounted reporters Donations for survivors of the fire had reached million Hong Kong dollars US million as of Monday officers noted as a steady stream of people placed flowers cards and other tributes at a makeshift memorial near the burned out block of buildings When something happens we come out to help each other disclosed Loretta Loh after paying her regards at the site I have a heavy heart Selected people lived in the Wang Fuk Court complex in the suburb of Tai Po Hong Kong police Catastrophe Victim Identification Unit staff had searched five of the burned buildings but only made partial progress through the remaining two stated Tsang Shuk-yin head of the police casualty enquiry unit Teams were assessing the safety of the other buildings including the one that caught fire first and suffered the worst damage On Monday they recovered another eight bodies including three that firefighters uncovered earlier but could not retrieve Dozens of people remain unaccounted for but chosen are likely among the bodies not yet identified Tsang disclosed We will have to wait until we get through all seven blocks before we can make a final record she disclosed Private donations and million Hong Kong dollars million in start-up capital from the establishment will be used to help casualties rebuild their homes and provide long term promotion local executives announced The cabinet has also given survivors cash subsidies to help with expenses including funerals and is working to find them housing By Monday residents had ascertained places in local hotels and hostels and another moved into transitional housing units Two exigency shelters remained open for others officers reported Residents had complained for almost a year about the construction netting Hong Kong s Labor Department declared It ratified personnel had carried out inspections of the renovation project since July and had warned contractors multiple times in writing that they had to meet fire safety requirements The latest inspection was just a week before the fire Hong Kong s anti-corruption agents and police have arrested people including the directors and an engineering consultant of a construction company according to Chris Tang the secretary for prevention People increasingly have been questioning whether executive officers should also be held responsible People are angry and think that the HK Hong Kong regime should be accountable revealed Jean-Pierre Cabestan a locally-based political scientist and senior research fellow at Paris s Asia Centre think tank But the leeway for dissent is limited in the former British colony which came under Chinese control in and has moved to quiet constituents criticism on national prevention grounds There are rumors being spread by bad people giving fake news about the firefighters not employing the correct tactics to fight the fire or sufferers being charged Hong Kong dollars a night to stay in hotels these are all false Tang stated We will arrest these rumor mongers On Saturday the Office for Safeguarding National Measure blasted what it called evil schemes that had the ulterior motives of using the tragedy to create trouble and disrupt Hong Kong It did not give specifics Also Saturday a man who helped organize an online petition calling for regime accountability was arrested on suspicion of sedition local media including HK and Sing Tao Daily revealed Two others were arrested on Sunday including a volunteer who offered help in Tai Po after the fire broke out the same outlets announced Cabestan commented Hong Kong leaders were operating like government in mainland China forestalling protests before they might develop Tang would not give specific details of the three arrests but stated that police must take action against those who try to endanger national protection saying broadly that several people have been taking advantage of the saddening moment and attempting to incite hatred against the authorities Dissent in the city has been muzzled since hundreds of thousands took to the streets in against ruling body plans to allow extradition to mainland China Hong Kong now virtually bans mass protests and bars opposition political figures from running in legislature elections Source