Hong Kong firefighters discovered additional deceased individuals on Friday during an exhaustive search of a high-rise compound where a massive fire had consumed seven buildings. Eight more individuals involved in the towers’ renovation were detained by authorities as the death toll from one of the city’s deadliest fires climbed to 128, with several people still missing.
Inspectors found that certain fire alarms in the complex, predominantly housing elderly residents, did not activate during testing, as stated by Andy Yeung, the director of Hong Kong Fire Services. The fire rapidly spread from one building to another due to bamboo scaffolding draped in netting and foam panels that had seemingly ignited, possibly from the work of a construction firm.
The Independent Commission Against Corruption confirmed the arrest of eight individuals, aged between 40 and 63, including scaffolding subcontractors, directors of an engineering consultant company, and project supervisors overseeing the renovation. Fire officials, led by Derek Armstrong Chan, prioritized accessing apartments that had issued emergency calls during the uncontrollable blaze but were inaccessible during the initial hours of the incident.
Despite the fire being contained after approximately 24 hours, smoke continued to emanate from the charred buildings two days later, with about 200 individuals still unaccounted for. Among them are 89 bodies awaiting identification, and authorities fear more casualties. Over 2,300 firefighting and medical personnel partook in the rescue efforts, resulting in 79 injuries, including 12 firefighters, and one firefighter casualty.
Residents affected by the tragedy, like 70-year-old Katy Lo, expressed shock upon returning to witness the devastation that had befallen their homes. The deceased included two Indonesian migrant workers, with several other Indonesian nationals, employed as domestic helpers, still missing. The city announced a period of mourning, lowering flags to half-mast and observing a three-minute silence led by the city’s leader, John Lee.
The fire, devastating eight 31-story buildings in the Tai Po district, originated from a major renovation project in progress. Preliminary investigations indicated that materials on the building’s exterior did not meet fire resistance standards, contributing to the rapid spread of the blaze. Police investigations further revealed that highly flammable foam panels attached to the windows exacerbated the fire’s intensity.
Authorities planned immediate safety inspections at construction sites to prevent similar incidents. This fire marked the deadliest in Hong Kong in recent history, surpassing past tragedies such as a 1996 commercial building fire that claimed 41 lives. The city mourns the loss and seeks accountability for the preventable disaster that unfolded in the heart of its bustling metropolis.
