As Hong Kong reckons with worst fire in decades, many see echoes of 2019

"Unresolved anger and mistrust from the 2019 protests have hung over the response to the deadly Tai Po fire. As Hong Kong grapples with the aftermath of a devastating housing estate fire that killed at least 159 people, the tragedy has revived some of the mistrust and divisions in the city that exploded in the form of 2019's antigovernment protests."

"The city watched in horror on November 26 as the fire broke out at Wang Fuk Court and then steadily spread to seven of the complex's eight towers. Many residents were trapped inside, due to faulty alarms, according to official reports. The number of casualties has kept climbing since the fire was extinguished on November 28 after burning for more than 40 hours but Wang Fuk Court is on track to be one of the worst fires on record since a 1948 blaze killed 176 people."

"The scale has been unthinkable for many Hong Kongers. This is not a village in the middle of nowhere; this is a downtown area. We wouldn't have assumed such things would have happened, Issie, an educator who works in Tai Po district, home to Wang Fuk Court, told Al Jazeera. This is something totally unthinkable. We would have expected the government to have put out the fire."

"After the fire broke out, Hong Kongers quickly mobilised in ways not seen since the 2019 protests, when citizens, community groups, and religious groups distributed food, water, and shelter to young protesters even if they did not always agree with them. In Tai Po, community groups and individuals quickly brought clothing, food, and other supplies for the housing estate's 4,000-plus residents, as others collated online databases of assistance."

A devastating fire at Wang Fuk Court in Tai Po killed at least 159 people and reignited mistrust rooted in the 2019 antigovernment protests. The blaze spread across seven of eight towers and burned for more than 40 hours, with many residents trapped amid reports of faulty alarms. Casualty numbers continued to rise, making the event one of the deadliest in Hong Kong’s recent history. Residents and community groups mobilised rapidly, providing food, clothing and online assistance. A petition demanding four accountability measures gained thousands of signatures, and public memorials and handwritten notes appeared for the victims.

Read at www.aljazeera.com