Fatalities From Hong Kong Apartment Complex Fire Rise To 128, Officials Say

The death toll from a devastating fire that engulfed residential buildings in Hong Kong on Wednesday has risen to 128 – making it the deadliest blaze in the city in over 70 years.

Over 200 people remain missing after the blaze broke out in the Wang Fuk Court apartment complex in the Tai Po district at 2:51 p.m., and spread rapidly across seven of the estate’s eight towers.

At least 16 bodies remain inside the buildings, and 79 people were injured, including 12 firefighters, authorities said at a press conference on Friday.

Hong Kong Security Chief Chris Tang told reporters that the fire alarms in the complex, housing 4,600 people and undergoing renovations, were not working effectively.

It comes after residents reported not hearing any alarm when the blaze broke out, leaving many without the chance to evacuate early.

While the cause of the blaze has not yet been established, officials said that styrofoam installed on the windows contributed to the rapid spread.

Hong Kong Police also suspect that protective nets, tarpaulins, and plastic sheets used for the maintenance work were not up to fire safety standards.

The Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) has announced a further eight arrests in connection with the fire.

Four of those arrested are from the consulting firm, namely two directors and two project managers responsible for supervising the project.

Three others are scaffolding subcontractors, including a couple who are the proprietor of a company, and another who was described by police as a middleman.

They are all suspected of corruption.

Police earlier announced that three men in charge of a construction company, aged 52 to 68, had been arrested in connection with manslaughter.

"We have reason to believe that those in charge at the company were grossly negligent, which led to this accident and caused the fire to spread uncontrollably, resulting in major casualties," a spokesperson said on Thursday.

At Friday’s press conference, authorities said an investigation would remain ongoing over the following weeks and confirmed the fire was fully extinguished by 10:18 a.m. local time.

The mammoth effort to get the blaze under control and rescue residents involved more than 2,311 firefighters, with 391 fire engines mobilized and 188 ambulances dispatched.

“We do not rule out the possibility that more bodies could be discovered when police enter the building for detailed investigations,” Tang said at the press conference.

“Our aim now is to make sure the temperature decreases in the building and once everything is deemed safe, police will collect evidence and conduct further investigation,” he added.

A HK$300 million ($38.5 million) relief fund to help displaced residents was announced by Hong Kong's leader, John Lee, on Thursday.

In an earlier statement posted to social media, Lee confirmed that one of the dead was a firefighter responding to the blaze.

"The fire has resulted in many casualties, including a fireman who died in the line of duty," Lee wrote.

"I express my deep sadness and my deep condolences to the families of the dead and the injured."

In a statement reported by state media, Chinese President Xi Jinping also sent his condolences to those impacted and the victims’ families.

He said he had ordered authorities to "do everything possible to ensure search and rescue operations, medical treatment for the injured, and post-disaster relief, and to provide necessary assistance to relevant departments and local authorities to minimize casualties and losses."