Death toll in Hong Kong building fire rises to 128

A devastating fire in Hong Kong has engulfed multiple high-rise buildings, killing at least 128 people.

The worst fire in Hong Kong in more than 70 years occurred in the northern suburbs of Tai Po, leaving 79 people injured and dozens more missing.

The tower was undergoing renovations at the time of the fire. The cause of the fire was unclear, but officials said Friday that polystyrene foam placed outside the windows contributed to its rapid spread.

Three people responsible for the renovation project have been arrested on manslaughter charges and authorities have launched a corruption investigation.

More than 2,311 firefighters were involved in controlling the fires in seven of the eight apartment buildings in Wang Fook Court.

Firefighting operations have now ceased. The fire was completely extinguished at 10:18 local time (02:18 GMT) on Friday, the fire department said at a news conference.

It also said 89 bodies had not yet been identified and 16 bodies were still inside the building.

Authorities said police will begin entering the Hong Fook Court Building on Friday to collect evidence and the investigation will take place over the next three to four weeks.

Meanwhile, crowds gathered at a nearby community hall that had been opened to families searching for missing relatives. Relatives are asked to bring family photos to help with identification.

The Hong Kong government has also set up shelters and support centers for displaced residents. Volunteer groups have been packing and sorting supplies, including clothing and hygiene products, for those affected.

The fire started at 14:51 local time (06:51 GMT) on Wednesday and by 18:22 local time, fire officials upgraded the fire to the most serious level.

The fire department said the fire started at a lower altitude and then spread upwards, reaching a maximum temperature of 500 degrees Celsius (932 degrees Fahrenheit).

As a result, fires in some places reignited after being extinguished, they said.

One former resident who moved out earlier this year told the BBC: “There was nothing we could do. Together we watched our house slowly burn down.”

The fire quickly spread to individual blocks due to the presence of flammable netting and other materials on the exterior of the building.

Firefighter He Weihao, 37, has been identified as one of the victims. He was found collapsed at the scene on Wednesday, about 30 minutes after contact was lost.

Twelve other firefighters were also injured, authorities said.

An immigration charity said two Indonesian nationals working on the buildings also died in the fire. Indonesian and Filipino workers remain missing.

Indonesian worker Fita was inside the building with her employer when she heard the fire brigade alarm. She described it as scary and confusing, but added that she felt “so grateful” to be safe.

“But I worry about friends that I know… usually we talk and then I haven’t seen them (since the fire),” she told Reuters.

Many people in the shelter are reluctant to speak to the media because of the trauma they have suffered.

Shock quickly turned to anger in Hong Kong as questions mounted over who was responsible for the fires.

Some residents said they did not hear fire alarms when the fire broke out. Hong Kong’s fire department discovered that fire alarms in all eight blocks were not operating effectively.

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

Previous reports of residents complaining about the high renovation costs and whether the materials used complied with fire safety regulations also resurfaced and were widely circulated online.

A police spokesman said: “We have reason to believe that the person in charge of the company was grossly negligent, which led to the accident and caused the fire to spread uncontrollably, causing heavy casualties.”

According to the 2021 government census, Wang Fook Court was built in 1983 and has provided 1,984 apartments for approximately 4,600 residents.

It is estimated that nearly 40% of residents are at least 65 years old. Some have lived in affordable housing since it was built.

In 1948, Hong Kong suffered its worst recorded fire, killing 176 people, caused by an explosion on the ground floor of a five-story warehouse.

Additional reporting by Martin Yip and Gemini Cheng in Hong Kong