INDOPOSCO.ID – The death toll from a massive fire in Hong Kong has risen to 128 as of Friday. Local authorities announced that the blaze, which tore through a residential complex in the Tai Po district, has been brought under control, according to local media reports.
One of the victims was a firefighter. A total of 79 people were injured, including 11 firefighters, South China Morning Post reported.
Although the flames have been extinguished across the Wang Fung Court complex, search and rescue operations are still underway.
Secretary for Security Chris Tang Ping-keung said the number of fatalities has surpassed 100, now reaching 128. He also warned that more bodies may still be found.
Authorities have received 467 reports of missing persons. Around 200 others are classified as “unconfirmed,” including 80 bodies that have yet to be identified, Tang said.
Earlier reports indicated that about 280 people remained missing.
Hong Kong Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu previously confirmed that fires in seven buildings within the complex had been contained.
The blaze broke out around midday on Wednesday (Nov. 26) in the development, which comprises more than 1,900 apartment units. The fire spread rapidly due to bamboo scaffolding installed for renovation work.
The complex consists of eight residential towers with a population of over 4,000 people.
Police have arrested two directors and an engineering consultant from Prestige Construction & Engineering Company on suspicion of manslaughter.
Authorities said the bamboo scaffolding and foam-plastic materials covering windows significantly accelerated the spread of the fire.
“We have reason to believe that those responsible showed gross negligence, which allowed the fire to spread quickly and claim so many lives,” Senior Inspector Eileen Chung Lai-yee said.
Tang added that preliminary findings show the fire spread in an unusually fast manner, largely due to the insulation materials used.
“The materials covering the building walls, the scaffolding netting, and waterproof tarps caused the fire to travel far more quickly than materials that meet safety standards,” he said.
For the first time in 17 years, Hong Kong issued a level-5 fire alarm—the highest in the city’s five-tier alert system.
Two nearby housing estates were also evacuated, and around 900 affected residents have been relocated to eight temporary shelters.
More than 140 fire engines and over 800 emergency personnel were deployed to the scene. Several roads in the area have been closed, according to the Transport Department.
Chinese President Xi Jinping expressed condolences and instructed the Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office in Beijing to support the regional government’s response efforts.
Chief Executive Lee extended his deepest sympathies to the victims’ families and wished the injured a swift recovery, as reported by Anadolu via Antara.
He also convened an emergency cabinet meeting to coordinate disaster response and allocated HK$300 million (approximately Rp643 billion) in aid for affected residents. (aro)
