An undetermined number of people remain missing
Hong Kong firefighters this Friday concluded operations to combat the fire that caused at least 94 deaths in a residential complex, the worst in the city in decades, the local government reported.
The flames were “largely extinguished” at 10:18 (02:18 in Lisbon) and “fire-fighting operations are completed”, a government spokesman told the news agency France-Presse (AFP), citing firefighters.
Authorities raised the death toll from the worst fire to hit Hong Kong since 1948 to 94 on Thursday night, including a firefighter. An undetermined number of people remain missing.
The tragedy caused commotion in the Chinese special administrative region, highlighting vulnerabilities due to high population density, and also led to a review of construction practices and an investigation into possible corruption.
Residents of the nearly 2,000-unit housing complex, which opened in 1983 in Hong Kong’s northern Tai Po district, told AFP they heard no alarm signals and had to knock on doors to warn neighbors.
“The fire spread very quickly,” said a man surnamed Suen. “Ringing the doorbell and knocking on doors, telling them to run — that’s how it happened,” he said.
Police announced the arrest of three men suspected of “gross negligence” after the discovery of flammable materials left behind during construction work, which allowed the fire to spread quickly due to strong winds.
The exact extent of the involvement of the three detainees in starting the fire is still unclear.
Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu announced the inspection of all major renovation projects in the city.
The Government’s number two, Eric Chan, in turn, considered it “imperative to accelerate the complete transition to metal scaffolding”, with bamboo scaffolding still common in Hong Kong.
The fire could also have repercussions on the awarding and execution of construction contracts.
“In the face of immense public outrage, a task force was set up to conduct a thorough investigation into possible acts of corruption in the major renovation project of Wang Fuk Court in Tai Po,” the Hong Kong Independent Anti-Corruption Commission said in a statement.
The Hong Kong Horse Racing Corporation, a century-old institution, announced today that Sunday’s horse races in Sha Tin would be held behind closed doors and that jockeys would wear black armbands as a sign of mourning.
Hong Kong, with 7.5 million inhabitants, has an average population density of more than 7,100 people per square kilometer. This number can be up to three times higher in the most urbanized areas.
Due to the limited territorial area, a profusion of residential towers was built, some with more than 50 floors.
