The loss of lives, particularly in an unnatural way, is always saddening and a cause for deep regret.
The ferocious blaze that broke out on Wednesday afternoon and continues to ravage a housing estate in Hong Kong’s Tai Po neighborhood has caused the deaths of 44 people, including a firefighter, with some 279 still missing as of Thursday morning. Nov 26, 2025 will go down in history as one of the saddest days in Hong Kong as well as for the nation, and rightly so.
In a move that reflects the severity of the disaster as well as his affection and care for Hong Kong residents, President Xi Jinping
The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region government immediately mobilized all available resources and manpower to fight the fire, with all department heads gathered at the firefighting command center.
Residents have been flooding the relief centers to donate materials that are needed by the affected and evacuated residents. Neighboring Shenzhen’s firefighting forces were put on standby, ready to join Hong Kong’s firefighters on short notice -- an indication of brotherhood.
A raft of factors has contributed to the huge disaster: Strong winds, the low humidity, and the height of the affected buildings that made the work of the firefighters more difficult. Noticeably, the highly flammable netting and waterproof tarpaulin materials used in the buildings’ renovation significantly contributed to the rapid spread of the blaze, a situation Secretary for Security Chris Tang Ping-keung described as “unusual”.
Police and fire service officers will jointly conduct the investigation, including a criminal probe, into the cause of the deadly fire and suspected irregularities in the renovation, Tang said. Latest news reports have it that two directors and an engineering consultant of a construction company tasked with the renovation of the buildings were arrested in the early morning on Thursday.
The police have reason to believe there was “gross negligence” on the part of certain staff members of the company responsible for the renovation, which caused the fire to spread rapidly, resulting in casualties, Police Senior Superintendent Eileen Chung Lai-yee told the media.
It is believed that the investigation has started immediately, and rightly so. The swift enforcement action is not only intended to prevent the responsible individuals from fleeing Hong Kong to evade potential criminal liability. It is also imperative to identify the main causes of the disaster, the risk factors, and prevention measures necessary to preempt any similar fire disaster of the same scale -- God forbid it.
After all, lives matter the most in all human endeavors. The SAR government has rightly halted all its publicity efforts regarding the coming Legislative Council election slated for Dec 7 to allow the whole administration to prioritize tackling the fire disaster and handling its aftermath.
The author is a current affairs commentator.
The views do not necessarily reflect those of China Daily.
