Beijing Warns Against 'Hostile Forces' Exploiting Deadly Hong Kong Fire Tragedy

Deadly Blaze Engulfs Hong Kong Residential Complex

A catastrophic apartment fire that erupted on November 26, 2025, in Hong Kong's Wang Fuk Court in the Tai Po district has claimed the lives of 159 people, making it the world's deadliest residential building fire since 1980. The inferno, which spread rapidly across seven of the complex's eight towers, has sparked widespread grief and calls for accountability. Authorities suspect that substandard insulation foam and cheap plastic netting used during renovations contributed to the rapid spread of the flames, despite residents having raised safety concerns about the materials last year.

Beijing Issues Stern Warning Amidst Unrest Concerns

In the wake of the tragedy, Beijing's national security arm in Hong Kong, the Office for Safeguarding National Security, issued a strong condemnation against what it termed 'external hostile forces' and 'anti-China and destabilising forces' attempting to exploit the disaster. The office warned that such elements were 'stirring up trouble and inciting chaos' and that their actions would be 'recorded and pursued for life,' with 'all conspiracies to disrupt Hong Kong' to be 'thoroughly extinguished.'

Chinese President Xi Jinping expressed deep concern over the fire, instructing the Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office and the Liaison Office in Hong Kong to provide full support to the local government in its rescue and aftermath efforts.

Crackdown on Civil Society and Calls for Accountability

Hong Kong Chief Executive John Lee also cautioned against any attempts to 'exploit the tragedy' for criminal purposes and pledged an independent investigation into the fire.

The incident has led to a series of arrests:

• Fifteen individuals, including construction company bosses, were apprehended on suspicion of manslaughter.
• An additional six people were arrested in connection with malfunctioning fire alarms at the complex.
• At least three individuals were arrested under the National Security Law on suspicion of sedition or 'attempting to incite discord' for their actions related to seeking accountability. These include university student Miles Kwan, who circulated a petition and flyers, and former district councillor Kenneth Cheung, who made critical comments on social media.

Human Rights Watch voiced concerns regarding the crackdown on civil society and the application of the National Security Law in response to calls for government accountability. The tragedy has also been noted to revive underlying mistrust and divisions within the city, reminiscent of the 2019 protests.

Aftermath and Safety Measures

In the immediate aftermath, temporary housing was provided for over 2,900 displaced residents. Secretary for Development Bernadette Linn issued an order for all Hong Kong buildings undergoing major maintenance to remove their protective netting by a specified deadline, addressing a key factor believed to have exacerbated the fire.