Firefighters in Hong Kong are meticulously combing through a high-rise residential complex, moving from one apartment to the next, as they search for more victims following a devastating fire. The blaze, which ravaged seven out of the eight towers in the complex, has already claimed at least 128 lives, marking one of the city’s most catastrophic fires.
Derek Armstrong Chan, a deputy director with the Hong Kong Fire Services, informed reporters that the firefighting teams are focusing their efforts on apartments from which they received over two dozen emergency calls during the incident. Unfortunately, they were unable to reach these units when the fire was at its peak.
As of tonight, the death toll has risen to 128, with more bodies being discovered in the charred remains of the towers. Secretary for Security Chris Tang stated at the scene that the search for victims is ongoing and that the number of fatalities could potentially increase.
While police have not disclosed the name of the company employing the suspects linked to the incident, The Associated Press has identified Prestige Construction and Engineering Company as being responsible for renovations at the complex. Law enforcement has confiscated boxes of documents from the firm, but attempts to reach them by phone on Thursday were unsuccessful.
Authorities suspect that some materials used on the exterior walls of the high-rise buildings failed to meet the required fire resistance standards, contributing to the fire’s rapid spread.
Additionally, police discovered plastic foam panels—known for being highly flammable—attached to windows on each floor near the elevator lobby of the tower that remained untouched by the fire. These panels are believed to have been installed by the construction company, though their exact purpose remains uncertain.
Authorities planned immediate inspections of housing estates undergoing major renovations to ensure scaffolding and construction materials meet safety standards.
The fire was the deadliest in Hong Kong in decades. A 1996 fire in a commercial building in Kowloon killed 41 people. A warehouse fire in 1948 killed 176 people, according to the South China Morning Post.
