Death toll rises to 146 as thousands pay their respects

At least 146 people died in a massive fire that broke out in several high-rise buildings in Hong Kong.

Police announced the death toll at a press conference on Sunday, cautioning that they “cannot rule out the possibility of further deaths”. He said 79 others were injured and 150 were missing.

Seven of eight tower blocks of a housing complex in the northern Tai Po district were quickly engulfed in flames on Wednesday. It is alleged that the fire was caused by flammable materials outside the buildings, sparking anger and concern.

Thousands of people gathered at the Vang Phuc Court complex on Sunday to mourn the victims, with queues stretching nearly 2km.

The death toll from the fire is rising as authorities work to recover and identify bodies.

The exact cause of the fire has not yet been determined. Eight people have been arrested on suspicion of corruption in the renovation of the towers, while three others have been detained on murder charges.

The fire – which quickly spread up and through the blocks – was completely extinguished by Friday morning, and it took more than 2,000 firefighters to bring it under control.

The same day, police began entering buildings to collect evidence. Officials say the investigation may take three to four weeks.

Police officer Tsang Shuk-yin said on Sunday that officers had so far completed searches of four tower blocks.

The Indonesian Consulate in Hong Kong said at least seven of its citizens died in the fire, while the Philippines’ Consulate said one of its citizens died.

Firefighter Ho Wai-ho, 37, was identified as among those killed. He was found collapsed at the spot about 30 minutes after contact was lost on Wednesday.

The fire department said the fire reached a peak temperature of 500C (932F). 12 firefighters were injured fighting the fire.

Officials said the fire spread quickly to different blocks due to the presence of plastic mesh and other flammable materials outside the buildings.

The tower blocks were also covered with bamboo scaffolding, which is commonly used for construction and renovation works in Hong Kong. The fire has sparked debate over whether it should still be used.

Many residents have said that they did not hear the fire alarm when the fire broke out. The Hong Kong Fire Service found that the fire alarms in all eight blocks were not working effectively.

The Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) said the director of an engineering company and a scaffolding subcontractor were among those arrested in the corruption investigation.

A police spokesperson had earlier said that they had reason to believe that “those in charge of the company were grossly negligent”, which led to the fire and which “spread out of control”.

Hong Kong’s Building Department has temporarily suspended work on 30 private projects.

Police reportedly detained a 24-year-old man on suspicion of sedition on Saturday. He was part of a group that petitioned for an independent investigation into the fire.

The fire – the deadliest in Hong Kong in more than 70 years – led the territory’s authority to declare a three-day state of mourning, which began on Saturday.

Officials observed a three-minute silence to mark the start of the period, while the flags of China and Hong Kong were flown at half-mast.

Thousands of people visited the site, laying flowers and praying, as well as leaving handwritten messages for the victims.

Indonesian activist Romlah Rosidah said she was “very surprised” at how many people came to pray for the victims.

“The incident was only spread on social media, but (it) moved his heart,” he told news agency Reuters.

A Filipino activist said they joined the prayer in solidarity, as well as “to show the Hong Kong community that we are one in this situation”.

Wang Phuc Court was built in 1983 and as of the 2021 government census, it provided 1,984 apartments for approximately 4,600 residents.

It is estimated that about 40% of its residents are at least 65 years old. Some people have been living in the subsidized housing estate since its construction.

Hong Kong’s second-deadliest fire in 1948 killed 176 people and was caused by an explosion on the ground floor of a five-story warehouse. The deadliest incident occurred at Happy Valley Racecourse in 1918, when more than 600 people died.