Ankara: Hong Kong authorities announced on Sunday that 159 residents previously reported missing are now confirmed 'safe', as the death toll from the catastrophic fire at an apartment complex increased to 146. The fire, which erupted on Wednesday, is considered the city's deadliest in decades.
According to Anadolu Agency, the casualty enquiry unit of the Hong Kong Police Force confirmed the safety of the 159 residents. Tsang Shuk-yin, the officer in charge of the unit, stated that as of 4 pm local time on Sunday, the death toll had reached 146, with 79 individuals injured. Tsang noted that 100 cases remain untraceable due to factors such as incomplete information or individuals not residing in Wang Fuk Court.
Efforts are ongoing to locate approximately 40 people who remain missing. The Hong Kong-based South China Morning Post reported that authorities are actively working to find them. The city began a three-day mourning period on Saturday to honor the victims of the blaze, which also injured 79 people, including 12 firefighters.
Rescue operations have continued into the fifth day, although the fires in the Wang Fuk Court apartment complex have been brought under control. Authorities have warned that the death toll may rise as more bodies are discovered. The fire started around noon on Wednesday and spread quickly, partly due to bamboo scaffolding and foam plastic materials used for renovation work.
The complex, consisting of eight towers and housing over 4,000 residents, saw two directors and an engineering consultant from Prestige Construction and Engineering Company detained on suspicion of manslaughter. The materials used during the renovation were found to have significantly contributed to the fire's rapid spread.
In response to the disaster, around 800 residents have relocated to hostels, hotels, and transitional flats. This incident marked the first issuance of a Level 5 fire alarm in Hong Kong in 17 years, indicating the highest severity on the city's five-tier scale.