Hong Kong fire death toll rises to 146

Agents from the Disaster Victim Identification Unit recovered more bodies while searching three other buildings in Wang Fuk Court

PETER PARKS / AFP
The death toll in the fire that devastated a housing estate in Hong Kong last week rose to 146

The death toll in the fire that devastated a residential high-rise complex in rose to 146, a police representative reported this Sunday (30). “The updated death toll stands at 146. We cannot rule out the possibility of more deaths,” said police representative Tsang Shuk-yin at a press conference.

The number was updated after the inspection of three more towers of the eight that make up the Wang Fuk Court residential complex, in Tai Po district.

The fire started on Wednesday afternoon (26) for reasons still unknown, apparently in the protective nets that covered the complex’s renovation works, used to protect residents from dust and possible falling objects.

People came to the housing estate in Hong Kong's northern Tai Po district to pay their respects to the fire victims.

People came to the housing estate in Hong Kong’s northern Tai Po district to pay their respects to the fire victims.

The flames quickly spread to the other towers, favored, according to initial hypotheses, by the nets, foam panels and bamboo scaffolding that are used in Hong Kong, instead of metal scaffolding.

*With information from AFP
Published by Nícolas Robert

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