Hong Kong tower blocks fire death toll rises to 128

At least 128 people have died in a devastating fire that swept through several high-rise buildings in Hong Kong.

Another 79 people were injured in the city’s deadliest fire in more than 70 years, which occurred in the northern suburb of Tai Po, while dozens are still missing.

The residential towers were undergoing renovations when the fire broke out. The cause of the fire remains unclear, but officials said Friday that placing Styrofoam on the outside of the windows facilitated its rapid spread.

Three people supervising the renovation work were arrested on charges of manslaughter, and the authorities opened a corruption investigation.

More than 2,311 firefighters participated in controlling the fire, which spread to seven of the eight residential buildings in Wang Fook Court.

Firefighting efforts have now stopped. The fire department said in a press conference that the fire was completely extinguished by 10:18 local time (02:18 GMT) on Friday.

She added that 89 bodies have not yet been identified, and 16 bodies are still inside the buildings.

Authorities said police would begin entering the Wang Fook Court premises on Friday to begin collecting evidence, and that the investigation would be conducted over the next three to four weeks.

The fire started at 14:51 local time (06:51 GMT) on Wednesday, and by 18:22 local time, it had been classified as the most dangerous by fire officials.

The fire department said the fire started at a lower level before moving upward, and the maximum temperature reached 500 degrees Celsius (932 Fahrenheit).

They added that as a result, the fire ignited again in some places after it was extinguished.

The fire spread quickly through the separate blocks due to the presence of flammable nets and other materials on the exterior of the buildings.

Firefighter Ho Wai Ho, 37, was identified as among the dead. He was found collapsed at the scene on Wednesday, about 30 minutes after contact was lost.

Authorities said 12 other firefighters were also injured.

A migrant charity said two Indonesian nationals who worked in the buildings were also killed in the fire. Among those still missing are Indonesian and Filipino workers.

Shock quickly turned to anger in Hong Kong, with questions growing about who should bear responsibility for the fire.

Several residents said they did not hear the fire alarm when the fire broke out. The Hong Kong Fire Service found that fire alarms in all eight buildings were not working effectively.

Meanwhile, one resident told the BBC that construction workers had turned off some alarms.

Reports of residents’ previous complaints about high renovation fees and whether the materials used comply with fire safety regulations have also resurfaced, being widely circulated online.

A police spokesman said: “We have reason to believe that company officials were grossly negligent, leading to this incident and causing the fire to spread uncontrollably, resulting in major casualties.”

Built in 1983, Wang Fook Court provided 1,984 apartments for about 4,600 residents, according to the 2021 government census.

It is estimated that approximately 40% of its population is at least 65 years old. Some live in a subsidized housing area since its construction.

The deadliest fire in Hong Kong killed 176 people in 1948, and was caused by an explosion on the ground floor of a five-story warehouse.