Hong Kong: Hong Kong firefighters searched through a high-rise tower complex apartment-by-apartment Friday for more victims after a massive fire engulfed seven of its eight buildings, killing at least 128 people in one of the city’s deadliest blazes.
Crews were prioritising apartments from which they received more than two dozen calls for assistance during the blaze, but were unable to reach, Derek Armstrong Chan, a deputy director of Hong Kong Fire Services, told reporters.
The toll rose Friday afternoon to 128 after more bodies were found in the blackened towers, and Secretary for Security Chris Tang told reporters at the scene that the search for victims was continuing and the numbers could still rise.
The Fire Services Department earlier on Thursday, said 72 people injured in the fire had been sent to hospitals for treatment, including eight firefighters. Over 200 people are still missing.
The FSD has dispatched a total of 304 fire engines and rescue vehicles, and used drones to monitor heat levels to prevent rekindling. The department has extinguished flames in four of the affected buildings and brought fire under control in the other three, Xinhua News Agency reported.
The residential area Wang Fuk Court consists of eight buildings, all of which were encased by green mesh and scaffolding due to a major renovation project. Three men responsible for the renovations were arrested earlier for suspected manslaughter, as the police investigation pointed to flammable materials covering the buildings as a possible cause for the rapid spread of fire.
Earlier, Hong Kong Chief Executive John Lee said in the small hours on Thursday that the fire at Wang Fuk Court has been gradually brought under control after firefighters’ tireless efforts.
Speaking at a press briefing, Lee mentioned that around 279 people are still missing. Twenty-nine remained hospitalised, including seven in critical condition. Lee said he was deeply saddened by the situation.
He said that from the outside, three buildings now showed no visible flames, while four others displayed only sporadic fire spots.
Lee stressed that the government will mobilise all resources to fully support the rescue operations. He has instructed departments and units to carry out comprehensive work, including extinguishing the fire, rescuing trapped residents, treating the injured, providing assistance and emotional support to families, and conducting a full investigation into the accident.
The Fire Services Department was notified of the accident at around 2:51 p.m. local time on Wednesday. Due to the fierce blaze, the department raised the alert to a No. 5 alarm fire at 6:22 pm local time. Rescue operations were still ongoing.
At one of the temporary shelters, personnel from the Home Affairs Department, Civil Aid Service, Care Teams, and the Police Force worked together, each fulfilling their roles and coordinating efforts.
Lam Yick Kuen, a Tai Po Care Team member and district councillor, said that many organisations and individuals had voluntarily donated supplies, demonstrating solidarity and mutual care in times of crisis.
