Mourners flock to site of deadly HK blaze as Beijing warns against protests

Cause of fire still under probe; death toll rises to 146, over 40 remain missing

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People looking at the aftermath of the fire that swept through Wang Fuk Court on Nov 28. The fire started on the afternoon of Nov 26 and rapidly engulfed seven of the eight 32-storey blocks. The police on Nov 29 detained Miles Kwan, who was part of a group that launched a petition demanding an independent probe into possible corruption and a review of construction oversight. PHOTO: AFP

(PHOTO: AFP)

More than a thousand people turned out on Nov 30 to pay tribute to the victims of Hong Kong’s deadliest fire in more than 75 years, as Beijing warned it would use a national security law to crack down on any “anti-China” protest in the wake of the fire.

The cause of the blaze at a high-rise apartment complex remains under investigation, amid public anger over missed fire risk warnings and evidence of unsafe construction practices.

Police said on the evening of Nov 30 that the confirmed death toll had risen to 146 after they completed a sweep of five of the burnt-out towers. Some bodies were found in stairwells and on rooftops, where residents had tried to escape.

More than 40 people are still missing after the fire, police said.

Mourners queued for more than 1km along the banks of a canal near the burnt-out Wang Fuk Court housing complex to lay white flowers for those who died. Some attached sticky notes addressed to the victims.