Hong Kong's Deadliest Fire in Decades Claims 146 Lives
The death toll from Wednesday's catastrophic apartment complex fire in Hong Kong has climbed to 146, authorities confirmed on Sunday, as recovery teams continue their grim search through the charred remains of the Wang Fuk Court estate.
Investigators discovered more bodies in the burned-out buildings over the weekend, with the Disaster Victim Identification Unit conducting meticulous searches through the seven-block complex in Tai Po. The tragedy now ranks among the worst fire disasters in Hong Kong's history.
Painstaking Search Operation Underway
Cheng Ka-chun, the officer leading the recovery operation, described the challenging conditions facing search teams. The buildings remain structurally sound, but the search has been slow due to extremely dark interiors and poor visibility, particularly in areas away from windows.
Search teams have so far examined four of the seven blocks in the complex. The latest searches uncovered another 30 bodies, including 12 that firefighters had previously located but been unable to recover.
According to Tsang Shuk-yin, head of the Hong Kong police casualty unit, the situation remains dire with another 100 people still unaccounted for and 79 injured receiving medical treatment.
Community Mourns and Questions Arise
At the scene of the devastation, a steady stream of mourners created a growing makeshift memorial, placing flowers, bowing in prayer, and leaving handwritten notes among the bouquets. The emotional displays reflect a community in deep mourning.
Lian Shuzheng, who joined hundreds waiting to pay respects, expressed the collective shock: "This really serves as a wake-up call for everyone, especially with these super high-rise buildings."
The eight-building Wang Fuk Court complex, constructed in the 1980s, housed nearly 2,000 apartments and more than 4,600 residents. At the time of the fire, all buildings were covered in bamboo scaffolding draped with nylon netting for renovations, with windows covered by polystyrene panels.
Investigations and Arrests Mount
Preliminary investigations indicate the fire began Wednesday afternoon on lower-level scaffolding netting of one building before spreading rapidly when foam panels caught fire and windows blew out. Strong winds helped flames jump between buildings, eventually engulfing seven of the eight towers.
Hong Kong officials have taken swift action, ordering immediate suspension of work on 28 building projects undertaken by Prestige Construction & Engineering Company for safety audits. The government statement cited "serious deficiencies" in the company's site safety management.
Law enforcement has made multiple arrests, including three men - directors and an engineering consultant of a construction company - arrested on suspicion of manslaughter the day after the fire began. Police suspect company leaders of gross negligence. Hong Kong's anti-corruption authorities have since rearrested these individuals and arrested eight additional suspects, including scaffolding subcontractors and renovation project managers.
The disaster has prompted Beijing's Ministry of Emergency Management to announce nationwide inspections of high-rise buildings, focusing on fire hazards including bamboo scaffolding, non-flame-retardant safety nets, and firefighting equipment.
This tragedy represents Hong Kong's deadliest fire since 1948, when a warehouse blaze killed 176 people, and evokes memories of London's Grenfell Tower disaster that claimed 72 lives in 2017.
