Hong Kong firefighters discovered additional bodies during a thorough search of a high-rise complex where a massive fire struck seven buildings. Eight more individuals linked to the towers’ renovation were apprehended by authorities. The death toll from one of the deadliest blazes in the city climbed to 128, with many people still unaccounted for.
Fire officials observed that certain fire alarms in the complex, which primarily housed elderly residents, did not activate during testing. The fire swiftly spread from one building to another, facilitated by bamboo scaffolding covered in netting and foam panels seemingly installed by a construction company.
The Independent Commission Against Corruption announced the arrest of eight individuals, aged between 40 and 63, including scaffolding subcontractors, directors of an engineering consultant firm, and project managers overseeing the renovation. Firefighters focused on apartments that had made emergency calls during the blaze but were inaccessible during the uncontrolled fire hours. It took approximately 24 hours to bring the fire under control, finally extinguished on Friday morning.
Smoke continued to emanate from the burned buildings two days after the fire initiation, with around 200 individuals still unaccounted for, including 89 unidentified bodies. The operation involved over 2,300 firefighters and medical staff, with 79 people injured, including 12 firefighters. The tragic incident claimed the life of one firefighter.
Residents affected by the fire, like Katy Lo, expressed shock and disbelief at the devastation. The complex housed a significant number of older residents, and the tragedy also impacted Indonesian migrant workers and domestic helpers.
The apartment complex, located in the Tai Po district, was constructed in the 1980s and was undergoing extensive renovation. Three individuals associated with a construction company were arrested on suspicion of manslaughter. Authorities suspected that materials on the building’s exterior walls failed to meet fire resistance standards, contributing to the rapid spread of the fire.
Investigations revealed flammable foam panels installed on windows by the construction company, which likely intensified the fire’s progression. Immediate inspections of similar housing complexes undergoing renovations were planned to ensure compliance with safety standards. This incident marked the deadliest fire in Hong Kong in years, surpassing previous tragedies in the city’s history.
The government announced mourning protocols, including lowering all official flags to half-mast and a three-minute silence led by city leader John Lee. Authorities emphasized the need for stringent safety measures in construction and renovation projects to prevent similar disasters in the future.