Nation rallies in grief, support after Hong Kong fire

The Building Department has suspended 30 private building projects on safety concerns, including 28 that were managed by the contractor at Wang Fuk Court.

The fire was the deadliest in Hong Kong in eight decades. A 1996 fire in a commercial building in Kowloon killed 41 people. A warehouse fire in 1948 killed 176 people.

Many of the survivors are now housed in short-term emergency shelters or city hotels, and authorities are working on longer-term solutions.

Meanwhile, Chinese mainland authorities on Saturday initiated a mechanism to coordinate emergency supplies for disaster response and relief following the fire, according to the Ministry of Emergency Management.

A disaster aid package has been provided to the HKSAR government, including portable outdoor charging stations, heavy-duty conveyors, blowers, respirators, goggles, protective suits, headlamps and waterproof boots, the ministry said. The mechanism was jointly launched by the office of the national commission for disaster prevention, reduction and relief, and the MEM.

The National Fire and Rescue Administration supplied more protective boots and other materials to the HKSAR government, supplementing the previously provided emergency equipment, which includes lighting drones, reconnaissance drones and fire rescue boots, according to the ministry.

Stacy Shi, Yang Zekun and Xinhua contributed to this story.

Contact the writers at wanqing@chinadailyhk.com