DST News: Hong Kong authorities have arrested eight additional suspects in connection with the catastrophic fire that tore through high-rise residential blocks in Tai Po, bringing the total number of deaths to at least 128 in the city’s deadliest blaze in more than seven decades.
The latest arrests, made by the Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC), include directors of an engineering firm and scaffolding subcontractors involved in renovation work on the affected buildings. Three other individuals had earlier been detained on manslaughter charges.
Officials say the cause of the fire remains under investigation, but flammable polystyrene and protective netting installed during renovation works accelerated the spread of the flames across seven of the eight towers at Wang Fuk Court.
The fire, which ignited at 14:51 local time on Wednesday, rapidly engulfed the lower floors before racing upward, reaching temperatures of up to 500C (932F). More than 2,300 firefighters were deployed to battle the blaze, which was fully extinguished by early Friday morning.
Authorities report that 79 people were injured, dozens are still missing, and 89 bodies remain unidentified. Sixteen more remain inside the burned structures.
Families of missing residents have been gathering at a nearby community hall, where officials are using photographs and personal records to help with identifications. The government has opened shelters and support centers for displaced residents, while volunteers distribute clothing and hygiene supplies.
Public shock has swiftly turned into anger as questions mount about the buildings’ safety conditions. Residents report that fire alarms failed to operate in all eight blocks, and one resident told the BBC that construction workers had switched off some alarms during renovation.
Online, complaints have resurfaced about unusually high renovation fees and suspicions that contractors used substandard or non-compliant materials.
Police said they believe senior figures at the engineering company responsible for the renovations were “grossly negligent,” allowing the blaze to spread uncontrollably and resulting in mass casualties.
Among the dead is 37-year-old firefighter Ho Wai-ho, who lost contact with colleagues and was later found collapsed during operations. Twelve additional firefighters were injured.
The fire also claimed the lives of two Indonesian workers, according to migrant support groups. Indonesian and Filipino migrant workers are still among those unaccounted for.
Built in 1983, Wang Fuk Court housed nearly 4,600 people across eight residential blocks, with almost 40% of residents aged 65 or older. Many had lived there for decades.
The disaster has become Hong Kong’s worst since 1948, when a warehouse fire killed 176 people. The deadliest on record remains the 1918 Happy Valley Racecourse fire, which claimed more than 600 lives.
Authorities say a full investigation will take three to four weeks as police examine structural evidence and review renovation documents.
Source: BBC
