In Hong Kong, 159 deaths confirmed from last week’s fire
At least 159 deaths were confirmed Wednesday from the Nov. 26 fire that ravaged seven Hong Kong apartment buildings, the city’s deadliest in decades. A week after the disaster, two people were arrested for demanding accountability from the government, and about 30 remain missing.
The two-day fire began in the Wang Fuk Court complex, which housed 4,600 residents. An investigation into the cause found that scaffolding netting used in renovations after a summer typhoon were replaced with cheaper material that failed to meet safety standards. Police also found highly flammable styrofoam materials outside the windows of each floor near the elevator lobby of the only unaffected tower, the Associated Press reported.
Kenneth Cheung, one of the two arrested, is a former elected district official who allegedly incited government hatred online after criticizing authorities’ response to the fire in a Facebook post. The other was 24-year-old Miles Kwan, a university student who was handing out flyers demanding an independent party look into the incident.
Last week, 15 people from several construction firms were arrested for counts of manslaughter, along with six others who allegedly deactivated fire alarms and made false statements to the fire department. No government officials have been charged in connection to the materials not meeting safety standards.
“Criminals who commit offenses must be taken to justice,” Hong Kong’s chief executive, John Lee, said at a Tuesday briefing. “I will not tolerate any crimes, particularly crimes that exploit the tragedy that we are facing now.”
In the United Kingdom, police evacuate 200 homes over suspected explosives
Over 200 homes were evacuated in Derby, where two individuals were arrested on suspicion of explosive offenses on Thursday following a police warrant for an address in the area.
Local police said they established an evacuation zone around the address, where they executed a warrant based on intelligence about materials at the property. They incited a controlled explosion around 3:20 p.m. with the help of the British Army’s explosive ordnance division, warning that residents “may hear a bang” and calling the evacuations a safety precaution, The Guardian reported.
The individuals arrested were two Polish males, one in his 40s and the other in his 50s. Police informed residents of affected areas to prepare to be out of their homes for 24 hours as officers knocked on all properties. They also confirmed that evacuees could find shelter at the nearby Salvation Army, as well as the Pakistan Community Center.
The incident — which comes six months after a suspected gas explosion severely damaged a Derby home, leading to the evacuation of 14 properties for safety reasons — is not being investigated as an act of terrorism, local police said.
“Being asked to leave your home under such circumstances is understandably concerning and the support that the emergency services have had has been excellent,” police Superintendent Becky Webster said. “I want to thank all those who have been affected by today’s evacuation for their understanding and response.”
In Germany, gov’t inaugurates air defense missiles
On Wednesday, Germany became the first European nation to activate the Arrow 3 air defense missile system to strengthen protection against anticipated Russian attacks.
As part of a 2023 agreement, Germany bought the technology from Israel and received it during a Wednesday ceremony in Holzdorf. The system — designed to combat long-range missiles — was developed by Israel Aerospace Industries in partnership with the U.S. Missile Defense Agency.
Israel uses the Arrow 3, alongside the Iron Dome for short-range defense, to spot missiles launched from sea or air over a range of 1,000 kilometers. Germany hopes to have it fully operating by 2030.
“With this strategic capability, which is unique among our European partners, we are securing our key role in the heart of Europe,” Germany’s Defence Minister Boris Pistorius said in a statement to Reuters. “Thus, we are not only protecting ourselves, but also our partners.Pistorius also said that the total cost of these efforts was approximately $4.4 billion and that the country hopes to expand the system into NATO and European air defense systems, according to the Associated Press.
Contact Eva Mundo at [email protected].