Hong Kong, November 29 (ANI): Eight additional people have been arrested in connection with the massive fire at the Wang Fuk Court residential compound in the Tai Po district, Hong Kong’s Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) said Friday.
According to the Global Times, the ICAC has launched an investigation into possible corruption linked to the building’s repair and maintenance work. Those arrested include engineering consultants, scaffolding subcontractors, and a middleman.
A local official said firefighting and rescue operations were nearly concluded after days of efforts to combat the deadly blaze, which has claimed at least 128 lives.
The number of fatalities from the devastating fire rose to 128, with as many as 200 people still missing, CNN reported Friday, citing officials. Firefighters brought the blaze under control 42 hours after it ignited.
CNN reported that at least 79 people were injured in the fire, which rapidly spread through multiple buildings in a public housing estate in the Tai Po neighborhood, Hong Kong Secretary for Security Chris Tang said during a press conference Friday.
He warned that the death toll could rise as about 200 people remain unaccounted for. This figure includes several bodies that have yet to be identified.
Wang Fuk Court, an affordable housing complex completed in 1983, houses about 4,000 residents in 1,984 units. At the time the fire broke out, all eight buildings were wrapped in green mesh and scaffolding as part of a major renovation project. The fire began on the scaffolding outside one building and spread to six others, Xinhua reported.
On Thursday, Hong Kong Police arrested three men linked to the renovation project on suspicion of gross negligence and suspected manslaughter.
Officials said early findings indicate that polystyrene boards and other construction materials, such as nets and canvas, did not meet safety standards, CNN reported.
“These polystyrene boards are extremely flammable, and the fire spread very rapidly,” Director of Fire Services Andy Yeung said, as quoted by CNN, adding that their presence on residential windows was “unusual” and had been referred to the police for further investigation.
Xinhua reported that the HKSAR government has ordered a citywide safety inspection of all scaffolding and construction materials used in renovation projects for buildings, according to the chief executive. (ANI)
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