HONG KONG, Dec 1 – The Hong Kong police announced on Sunday that the casualty inquiry unit has confirmed the safety of 159 residents who were previously reported missing after a major fire swept through a residential complex on November 26.
Speaking at a press briefing, Tsang Shuk-yin, officer in charge of the casualty inquiry unit of the Hong Kong Police Force, said that as of 4 p.m. local time on Sunday, the death toll from the fire had risen to 146, with 79 people injured.
Currently, 100 cases have been classified as untraceable due to reasons such as incomplete information, individuals not residing in Wang Fuk Court, or informants lacking the missing persons’ addresses, she explained.
Local authorities reported that search operations have been completed at four residential blocks in the Tai Po complex. All affected buildings have been assessed as structurally safe, and the remaining search work is expected to conclude today.
Alice Mak, secretary for Home and Youth Affairs, said the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) government will ensure that all affected residents receive free accommodation until they can rebuild their homes. More than 1,500 residents have already been placed in transitional housing, youth hostels, or hotels.
Mak noted that the previously announced HK$50,000 living allowance for each household is a temporary measure, and additional assistance will be provided based on residents’ needs.
On Friday, she confirmed that the Tai Po Wang Fuk Court Relief Fund has received HK$500 million ($64.2 million) in donations. Together with the government’s HK$300 million contribution, the total has reached HK$800 million. The government will distribute HK$200,000 in condolence payments to each bereaved family and HK$50,000 in living allowances to each affected household.
The fire broke out on Wednesday afternoon in Wang Fuk Court, an affordable housing complex completed in 1983, home to around 4,000 residents across 1,984 units. At the time, all eight buildings were wrapped in green mesh and scaffolding for a major renovation project. The fire is believed to have started on the scaffolding of one building before spreading to six others.
The HKSAR government has since ordered city-wide safety checks on scaffolding and construction materials used in building renovation projects.
Three men involved in the renovation work were arrested early Thursday on suspicion of manslaughter, after investigators found that flammable materials covering the buildings may have contributed to the rapid spread of the fire.
Hong Kong’s Independent Commission Against Corruption has also launched a probe into alleged corruption linked to the renovation project.
The HKSAR government held a memorial service on Saturday, paying tribute to the victims of the residential building fire. The mourning period will continue until Monday. During this time, national flags and the HKSAR flags displayed at all government buildings and facilities will be flown at half-mast. All entertainment and celebration activities organized or funded by the government have been cancelled or postponed.
