FLASH
Shkruar nga Pamfleti
At least 128 people have been officially confirmed dead in a fire that engulfed several high-rise buildings in Hong Kong.
Another 79 people were injured in the deadliest fire in more than 70 years in Tai Po on Wednesday, according to official figures. Dozens of others remain missing.
The Wang Fuk Court blocks were being renovated when the fire broke out. The cause remains unclear, but officials say polystyrene and protective mesh placed on the outside of windows facilitated its spread.
Eight people were arrested on Friday on suspicion of corruption during renovation work being carried out at the towers. Three others were arrested earlier on charges of involuntary manslaughter.
An investigation is ongoing, the Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) said, adding that those arrested on Friday included directors at an engineering company and scaffolding subcontractors.
Some 2,311 firefighters worked to bring the fire under control after it spread to seven of Wang Fuk Court's eight apartment blocks.
The fire was completely extinguished at 10:18 a.m. local time (02:18 GMT) on Friday, the fire department said at a press conference.
It also said that 89 bodies have yet to be identified and 16 bodies remain inside buildings.
Authorities said police would now enter the buildings to begin collecting evidence and that an investigation would take place over the next three to four weeks.
Meanwhile, crowds have gathered at a nearby community hall, which has been opened to families searching for their missing loved ones. Relatives are being asked to help with the identification process by bringing family photos.
The Hong Kong government has also set up shelters and support centers for displaced residents. Volunteer groups have been packing and organizing supplies for those affected, including clothing and hygiene products.
The fire started at 14:51 local time (06:51 GMT) on Wednesday and by 18:22 local time, firefighters classified it in the most serious category.
The fire department said the fire started at a lower level before moving upward and reaching a maximum temperature of 500°C (932°F).
As a result, the flames reignited in several places after they were extinguished, they said.
The fire spread rapidly through the separate blocks due to the presence of flammable nets and other materials on the exterior of the buildings.
Firefighter Ho Wai-ho, 37, has been identified as one of the dead. He was found collapsed at the scene on Wednesday, about 30 minutes after contact was lost with him.
Twelve other firefighters were also injured, authorities said.
Two Indonesian nationals who had been working in the buildings were also killed in the fire, a migrant charity said. Indonesian and Filipino workers are among those still missing.
Shock has quickly turned to anger in Hong Kong, as questions grow about who should be held responsible for the blaze.
Some residents have said they did not hear a fire alarm when the fire broke out. The Hong Kong Fire Service found that fire alarms in all eight blocks were not working effectively.
Meanwhile, a resident told the BBC that some of the alarms had been deactivated by construction workers.
The area engulfed by the flames was built in 1983 and had 1,984 apartments for about 4,600 residents, according to a 2021 government census.
Nearly 40% of its residents are estimated to be at least 65 years old. Some have lived in the subsidized housing complex since it was built.
The deadliest fire recorded in Hong Kong killed 176 people in 1948 and was caused by an explosion on the ground floor of a five-storey warehouse. /Adapted from BBC/
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