Hong Kong, November 29 (HBTV): The death toll from the devastating fire at an apartment complex in Hong Kong has risen to 128, with around 200 people still missing, CNN reported on Friday, citing officials, as firefighters brought the blaze under control 42 hours after it began.
According to CNN, at least 79 people were injured in the fire, which rapidly spread through multiple buildings in a public housing estate in the Tai Po neighbourhood, Hong Kong Secretary for Security Chris Tang said during a press conference. He warned that the death toll could increase as the status of about 200 people remains unknown, including several bodies yet to be identified.
Wang Fuk Court, an affordable housing complex built in 1983, houses around 4,000 residents across 1,984 units. When the fire broke out, all eight buildings were covered in green mesh and scaffolding due to an ongoing major renovation project. The blaze is believed to have started from the scaffolding outside one building before spreading to six others, Xinhua reported.
Hong Kong Police on Thursday arrested three men linked to the renovation project on suspicion of gross negligence and suspected manslaughter.
Early findings suggest that the polystyrene boards and other construction materials used—such as nets and canvas—did not meet safety standards, CNN reported. Director of Fire Services Andy Yeung said the polystyrene boards were ‘extremely inflammable’, causing the fire to spread rapidly. He added that their presence on residential windows was ‘unusual’ and had been referred to the police for further investigation.
Hong Kong's Independent Commission Against Corruption has also launched a probe into alleged corruption related to the renovation project.
According to Xinhua, the HKSAR government has ordered a city-wide safety inspection of scaffolding and construction materials used in building renovation projects, following directives from the chief executive. (ANI)