At least 159 people lost their lives in a devastating 5-alarm fire at Hong Kong’s Homi Villa in Tai Po, shocking the world. In response, Hong Kong citizens in the UK, Taiwan, Canada, Australia, and other countries organized memorial events.
The Hong Kong Overseas Chinese Association held a memorial event last night in Waterloo, central London, with about 3,000 participants. Outside the venue, a line of mourners stretched over 200 meters, with approximately 500 people braving 8-degree temperatures and drizzling rain to enter the venue. Some longtime residents of Tai Po expressed that the fire reflects the collapse of the entire system in Hong Kong and is closely related to the longstanding issue of perfunctory checks.
The event started at 6 p.m. and ended at 8:30 p.m., with the majority of participants being Hong Kong residents. The atmosphere both inside and outside the venue was somber, with citizens silently mourning and laying flowers, white cranes, electronic candles, and condolence cards in front of the memorial altar. A “Lennon Wall” was set up where citizens wrote down their thoughts on paper, which filled the wall within just two hours. Another area provided information on the fire, emphasizing that the tragedy was not caused by bamboo scaffolding, refuting the government’s and some pro-establishment’s claims.
The Association urged the Hong Kong government to promptly conduct an open and transparent investigation into the root and immediate causes of the fire, thoroughly hold those responsible accountable, and comprehensively review relevant systems to prevent similar tragedies from happening again. The Association pledged to continue monitoring the situation, support community rebuilding, and hoped that all sectors of society could work together to ensure housing safety for all residents to live in peace.
One of the event organizers and former Kwun Tong District Councilor Lau Ka-man shared on social media platform Threads that the volunteer team had delivered the memorial wreaths to the charity organization “Floral Angels,” which will redistribute them to those in need. The messages on the Lennon Wall will be preserved by the Hong Kong Overseas Chinese Association.
Another event organizer and former Yuen Long District Councilor Lee Chun-wai, in an interview with the paper, stated that the purpose of the event was to provide a formal occasion for Hong Kong people living in the UK to participate in a mourning ceremony, offering a channel for solace and mutual support.
He revealed that a suit tailor he knew had tragically become a victim of the fire, residing in the Homi Villa with his wife and pets. Following the fire, they could no longer return to their home and practically had nothing left. While the government promised assistance, the entire reconstruction and resettlement process is believed to be lengthy and arduous.
When asked about who should bear the greatest responsibility for the fire, Lee believed it was premature to hastily point out the main culprit at this stage. However, he criticized the Hong Kong government’s stance of prioritizing stability maintenance, striving to prevent the incident from escalating into a public event similar to the 2022 Urumqi fire, reflecting unprecedented public discontent.
He criticized the Hong Kong government for evidently prioritizing stability maintenance, attempting to avoid the incident developing into a mass event like the 2022 Urumqi fire, with public discontent reaching levels far beyond the past.
He remarked that no matter how the public conducted voluntary oversight and aid for the victims, when it comes to the government, they are often seen as subversive or uncontrollable groups. He pointed out the intervention of the Caring Team, mutual pushing among government departments, and the premature replacement of bamboo scaffolding with metal sheds, indicating that the government’s response to handling such sudden accidents is becoming increasingly aligned with the Chinese government.
James, a Hong Kong resident living in the UK, brought along flowers to the event to pay tribute. He recalled in an interview that on the night of the fire, he was heartbroken upon learning about the tragedy in Tai Po from the news, crying uncontrollably that evening. Besides sadness, he expressed strong anger as he believed the tragedy could have been avoided, fueled by multiple factors including misappropriation of funds, commercial fraud, cutting corners, and workers smoking disregarding safety.
He mentioned that the Hong Kong government, Hopewell Construction Company, and DAB District Councillor Wong Pik Kiu bore responsibility. He held the Hong Kong government accountable as residents had previously lodged complaints about issues like the scaffolding, lack of fire alarms, and foam-sealed windows causing units to overheat, but government departments such as the Buildings Department, Fire Services Department, and Labour Department failed to act, eventually leading to the tragic incident. He hoped for a thorough investigation of the truth and demanded accountability from relevant officials.
He referred to the close relationship between Wong Pik Kiu and Hopewell, which had a history of malpractice and legal accusations but was still employed, despite objections from many property owners. He criticized Hopewell for hiring undisciplined workers who smoked on the job and used repair materials that did not meet fire safety standards, resulting in the deadly fire.
Regarding how to prevent similar tragedies from recurring, he condemned the degradation of the entire system following the “enhancement” of the electoral system in 2021, lacking credibility and filled with mutual protection among those in power, leaving residents with no choice but to save themselves.
He revealed knowing some friends who lived in Homi Villa, feeling distraught and helpless at present, temporarily sleeping in makeshift accommodations, even reluctant to return home due to the overwhelming emotions.
He emphasized that laying flowers serves as a reminder of the tragedy and truth, promising never to forget the disaster that shattered numerous families, even while in the UK. He asserted that despite officials’ demands for Hong Kong residents to remain silent, he would continue sharing the events in Hong Kong with locals in the UK through social media or conversations with colleagues.