HONG KONG – In a remarkable display of compassion and solidarity, donations for the victims of a devastating fire in Hong Kong have soared to 900 million Hong Kong dollars (approximately US$115 million). This tragic incident, which claimed at least 146 lives and left thousands without homes, has prompted a nationwide surge of support. However, as the community rallies together, the government is facing increasing pressure to address concerns about accountability for the disaster.

Throughout the weekend, a continuous flow of mourners visited a makeshift memorial near the charred remains of the buildings, laying flowers, cards, and other heartfelt tributes. The outpouring of grief and respect highlighted the profound impact of the tragedy on the community.

Loretta Loh, one of the many visitors to the memorial, expressed her deep sorrow, saying, “When something happens, we come out to help each other. I have a heavy heart.” Her sentiment echoed the collective mourning felt across the city.

The catastrophic fire erupted on Wednesday afternoon at the Wang Fuk Court complex, located in the Tai Po suburb. The blaze ravaged seven of the eight apartment towers, which housed around 4,600 residents, and was not completely extinguished until Friday morning, leaving a trail of destruction.

Over the weekend, teams from the Hong Kong police Disaster Victim Identification Unit meticulously searched four of the affected buildings, recovering an additional 30 bodies and raising the official death toll to 146. Meanwhile, about 100 individuals remain missing, and 79 people sustained injuries in the tragedy.

On Monday, Hong Kong authorities said teams were assessing the safety of the other buildings, including the one that caught fire first and suffered the worst damage.

The millions of donated funds, and 300 million Hong Kong dollars ($38.5 million) in start-up capital from the government, will be used to help victims rebuild their homes and provide long–term support, local officials said.

The government has also given survivors cash subsidies to help with expenses, including funerals, and is working to find them housing.

By Monday, 683 residents have found places in local hotels and hostels, and another 1,144 moved into transitional housing units. Two emergency shelters remained open for others, authorities said.

The complex’s buildings were all clad in bamboo scaffolding draped with nylon netting for external renovations. Windows were covered with polystyrene panels, and authorities are investigating if fire codes had been violated.

Residents had complained for almost a year about the netting that covered the scaffolding, Hong Kong’s Labor Department said. It confirmed officials had carried out 16 inspections of the renovation project since July 2024 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 agency has arrested 11 people, including the directors and an engineering consultant of a construction company. A growing number of people have been questioning whether government officials should also be held responsible.

“People are angry and think that the HK (Hong Kong) government should be accountable,” said Jean-Pierre Cabestan, a locally-based political scientist and senior research fellow at the Paris-based Asia Centre think tank.

But the leeway for dissent is limited in the former British colony, which came under Chinese control in 1997 and increasingly has moved to quiet public criticism on national security grounds.

On Saturday, the Office for Safeguarding National Security hit out with a harshly-worded statement about what it called “evil schemes” that had ”the ulterior motives of using the disaster to create trouble and disrupt Hong Kong.” It did not give specifics.

On Saturday, a man who helped organize an online petition calling for government accountability was arrested on suspicion of sedition, local media including HK01 and Sing Tao Daily reported.

Two others were arrested on Sunday, including a volunteer who offered help in Tai Po after the fire broke out, the same outlets reported.

Cabestan said Hong Kong authorities were operating like authorities in mainland China, forestalling protests before they might develop.

Hong Kong police would not comment specifically on the arrests, telling The Associated Press only that “police will take actions according to actual circumstances and in accordance with the law.”

Authorities have effectively quashed dissent in the city since hundreds of thousands took to the streets in 2019 against government plans to allow extradition to mainland China, and have virtually banned mass protests as well as opposition political figures from running in legislature elections.