A huge fire at Hong Kong’s Wang Fuk Court building has hit the city in 80 years, killing 128 people and leaving 200 others missing. The building has eight 32 storeys and was developing quickly on Wednesday.
Chris Tang, Chief of Security, said that only 39 deceased individuals have been identified while there are many more victims who will be found when it is safe to investigate the site. 79 other individuals were injured, including 12 Firefighters.
Fire Alarms – Failure of fire alarms in the building; Potentially Flammable Renovation Products
The blame for the massive loss of lives and property has been put on the failure of fire alarms, which did not work in the building. The estate was being renovated and had been covered with bamboo scaffolding as well as green net material. The police have also arrested three executives from the Prestige Construction Company for allegedly committing manslaughter for using flammable materials like foamboards next to windows that could have contributed to the rapid spread of flames.
The investigators from the police have gathered documents, computers and mobile phones from the offices of the company.
Families Continue to Struggle to Identify Their Family Members and Come to Terms with Their Loss
At the wreckage of the two towers, families are trying to identify their missing loved ones based on photographs that rescuers have provided. Mirra Wong is one resident who is currently searching for her father, but is afraid that he may be dead. Another community member expressed that many people are suffering without any closure, which adds to their pain.
The Deadliest Fire in Hong Kong Since 1948
This is the most deadly fire in Hong Kong since 1948 when a fire in a warehouse killed 176 people. There are 19 domestic workers from the Philippines and Indonesia who are unaccounted for and are missing.
The Hong Kong government has set up a HK$300 million relief fund for survivors; however, many evacuees are currently living in malls and other temporary facilities while waiting to return to their homes.
The government will be looking into the possibility of changing safety regulations to require the use of metal, rather than bamboo scaffolding, for future projects. Investigators are currently working to complete their investigations.
(INPUTS FROM REUTERS.)
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