Figures from Hollywood and US politics have paid tribute and expressed shock after acclaimed director Rob Reiner and his wife Michele were found dead in their Los Angeles home. The film-maker, 78, and his wife, 68, were pronounced dead at a house in an upmarket neighbourhood of LA on Sunday
Smoking videos of workers go viral amid renewed allegations over deadly HK fire
Fresh controversy has erupted around the deadly Wang Fuk Court fire in Hong Kong as videos of construction workers smoking on scaffolding resurfaced and spread widely on social media on Saturday, reigniting public anger over alleged safety lapses at the housing complex.
The footage, originally posted on Thursday, showed workers taking a smoke break while repairing the building's outer wall, clips that have now prompted renewed scrutiny even though officials say the actual cause of the fire remains under investigation.
The blaze, which tore through the Tai Po housing estate on Wednesday, killed at least 128 people and injured dozens more. Nearly 900 of the estate's roughly 4,800 residents were forced into temporary shelters overnight as seven of the eight 32-storey towers were engulfed in flames when bamboo scaffolding and renovation materials caught fire.
ALSO READ | Hong Kong police arrest construction firm bosses over fire; death toll hits 83 with scores missing
Several internet users took to X to share the widely circulated video of a worker smoking and alleged that it may have contributed to the deadly fire.
“Shortly before the fire at the Wang Fu Court building in Tai Po, Hong Kong, males were blatantly smoking while repairing the exterior walls, showing reckless disregard for everyone's safety,” a post on social media site X said.
HT.com could not independently verify the video circulating online.
However, authorities said they are still determining what ignited the blaze, noting that flammable netting, plastic foam panels and strong winds helped fuel the rapid spread.
There is no official confirmation that smoking directly triggered the disaster.
ALSO READ | Hong Kong ends rescue ops after deadly residential fire; death toll nears 130
The tragedy is now the worst fire the city has recorded since 1948, when a warehouse inferno claimed 176 lives. Investigators are examining whether some of the materials used in the renovation met required fire-resistance standards.
Authorities have detained two directors and an engineering consultant from Prestige Construction, the company responsible for repair work at the estate. They are being investigated for possible manslaughter over allegations that substandard materials were used during the project. During a search of the firm's office, police collected tender documents, staff records, 14 computers and three mobile phones, officials said.
ALSO READ | Hong Kong high-rise, where blaze killed 128 people, had faulty fire alarms
Hong Kong Chief Executive John Lee announced that the government will establish a HK300 million dollars relief fund for affected residents. Several major companies, including automakers Xiaomi, Xpeng and Geely, as well as charitable foundations linked to Jack Ma and Tencent, have also pledged financial support for those affected.
Source: Hindustan Times
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Figures from Hollywood and US politics have paid tribute and expressed shock after acclaimed director Rob Reiner and his wife Michele were found dead in their Los Angeles home. The film-maker, 78, and his wife, 68, were pronounced dead at a house in an upmarket neighbourhood of LA on Sunday
2 months ago
