HONG KONG: Authorities said on Monday they have made a total of 13 arrests over Hong Kong’s deadliest fire in decades after the blaze killed 151 people last week, a toll that could further rise.

The arrests were made on suspicion of manslaughter as investigators work to piece together what led to the catastrophic fire taking hold so fast in a complex of high-rise apartments.

Officials have been looking at factors, including the styrofoam panels and bamboo scaffolding used in a renovation project at the site.

Officials also announced on Monday that some of the exterior netting used on scaffolding at the housing estate did not meet fire-resistance standards.

Police representative Tsang Shuk-yin on Monday told a news conference that the fire killed 151 people, up from Sunday’s toll of 146.

Published in Dawn, December 2nd, 2025