In a meticulous search of a high-rise complex in Hong Kong, firefighters discovered numerous additional bodies on Friday following a massive fire that engulfed seven buildings. The death toll from one of the city’s deadliest blazes climbed to 128, with several individuals still missing.
During the search, it was revealed that certain fire alarms in the complex, predominantly inhabited by elderly residents, did not activate during testing, as reported by Andy Yeung, the director of Hong Kong Fire Services. The fire rapidly spread from one building to another, with bamboo scaffolding covered in netting and foam panels, apparently installed by a construction company, catching fire.
Authorities took action by arresting eight individuals on Friday, aged between 40 and 63, including scaffolding subcontractors, directors of an engineering consultant company, and project managers overseeing the renovation, according to the Independent Commission Against Corruption.
Firefighters prioritized apartments that had made emergency calls during the blaze but were inaccessible during the uncontrolled fire hours, stated Derek Armstrong Chan, a deputy director of Hong Kong Fire Services. It took approximately 24 hours to bring the fire under control, with complete extinguishment not achieved until Friday morning.
Smoke continued to emanate from the burnt buildings two days after the fire started, with approximately 200 people still unaccounted for, including 89 unidentified bodies. The search and rescue operation involved over 2,300 firefighters and medical personnel, with 12 firefighters among the 79 injured individuals. Regrettably, one firefighter lost their life.
The apartment complex, consisting of eight 31-storey buildings situated in the Tai Po district near Hong Kong’s border with mainland China, was constructed in the 1980s and was undergoing significant renovation. Three individuals, including company directors and an engineering consultant, were arrested on Thursday for suspected manslaughter.
Investigations revealed that materials on the exterior walls of the high-rise buildings did not meet fire resistance standards, contributing to the rapid spread of the fire. Immediate inspections of housing complexes undergoing major renovations were planned to ensure compliance with safety standards.
This tragic incident marks the deadliest fire in Hong Kong in decades, surpassing previous fatal fires in 1996 and 1948. The city mourns the loss as flags will be lowered to half-mast, and a three-minute silence will be observed in memory of the victims.
