A terrible fire at a public housing estate in Hong Kong has killed at least 159 people. Another 31 people are missing. This is the city's worst fire disaster in 75 years. The fire happened in a very crowded area called Wang Fuk Court, where about five thousand people live.
The fire started last Wednesday in an eight-building block that was being repaired. The fire moved very quickly. Officials think this is because the netting on the outside of the building was very easy to burn. This material may not have met safety rules. The event has made the city very sad and people are asking serious questions about building safety.
The Hong Kong government has now ordered workers to take down all this type of netting from buildings across the city. A government leader, Bernadette Linn Hon-ho, said contractors must finish this by Saturday. It affects around 300 buildings. She said they will find and punish any contractors who used the bad netting. The police have also arrested at least fifteen people for their possible connection to the deaths.
After the fire, the situation became more complicated. National security police arrested at least three more people. They say some people tried to use the tragedy to cause political problems. Hong Kong's leader warned about "external forces" using the event to create disorder.
Now, the city must help the victims' families and make buildings safer. At the same time, the government is being very careful to control public discussion about the fire.