- A deadly fire in Hong Kong, occurring on November 26, 2025, has resulted in 161 deaths and displaced over 4,000 people.
- Faulty fire alarms, substandard safety nets, and flammable materials contributed to the severity of the blaze, prompting a manslaughter investigation into 16 individuals.
- Public calls for accountability regarding safety management are facing resistance, with arrests made for alleged sedition and restrictions placed on memorial events.

A: Hey! Did you hear about that terrible fire in Hong Kong? It's been a month already.
B: No! Seriously? What happened?
A: It was awful. A huge apartment building went up in flames. So many people died.
B: Wow, that's so sad. How many people?
A: They say 161 people died. And over 4,000 people lost their homes. It's the worst fire in Hong Kong in a long time.
B: That’s crazy! What caused it?
A: They think it might be because of some unsafe building materials used in the renovations. Also, the fire alarms weren’t working right.
B: Oh no! So, people are angry?
A: Yeah, a lot of people want someone to take responsibility. The police are looking into it. They're questioning a bunch of people.
B: That's good. But I heard some weird stuff too...
A: What do you mean?
B: Apparently, some people were arrested for speaking out about it! Like, for wanting answers from the government. And even the university is telling students not to have memorial events.
A: Seriously? That’s…strange. It sounds like they’re trying to shut down discussion.
B: Yeah, it's a really complicated situation. A committee is investigating, but it's going to take nine months.
A: Nine months? That's a long time for people to wait.