HK police are still combing ruined towers of the Wang Fuk Court complex after the worst fire in 75 years, as families demand rapid body identification.
Building Searches Continue
Since Monday, police have been inspecting seven towers of the Wang Fuk Court housing estate in Hong Kong, where the most severe fire in 75 years occurred.
So far, they have examined four of the seven towers, with the police chief Amy Lam saying the final stage will focus on the most heavily damaged buildings and could last weeks.
So far, bodies have been recovered from stairwell windows, apartments and rooftops, with families demanding faster identification amid the scale of the disaster.
Authorities Investigating Fire Cause
At least 146 people died and around 40 are still missing, with less than a third of the fallen being positively identified.
The complex housed about 4,500 residents; more than 1,100 have been moved from evacuation centers to temporary housing, while 680 others went to youth shelters and hotels.
Officials have announced that each victim’s family will receive HK$10,000 (about 4,700 PLN) and support with new documents.
Experts are examining the fire’s cause and inspecting the buildings for fire protection, with authorities negotiating with developers and contractors over replacing bamboo scaffolding with metal ones, which proved to be a deadly trap.
So far, 11 people, mainly workers and managers of the renovation firm, have been detained.
Grief in Hong Kong
From 29 November, a three-day mourning period has been held in Hong Kong for the Wang Fuk Court fire victims.
On Saturday, a three-minute silence was observed by Hong Kong administration employees and residents, and condolence books were displayed in several former British colonial locations.
