Hong Kong mourns as apartment blaze death toll rises to 146 | Hong Kong

The death toll from a Hong Kong apartment complex fire has risen to 146 after investigators found more bodies in burnt buildings. A steady stream of people left bouquets of flowers at the ever-growing makeshift memorial at the scene of the disaster, one of the worst disasters in the city’s history.

The Hong Kong police’s disaster victim identification unit meticulously examined the buildings of the Wang Fuk Court complex and found bodies in both apartment units and on the rooftops, officer-in-charge Cheng Ka-chun said on Sunday.

The buildings remained structurally sound, but the search was slow, Cheng, still wearing his white overalls and a hard hat and respirator, told reporters. “It is very dark inside and there is little light, so it is very difficult to do work, especially in places far from windows.”

Cheng said the team has examined four of the seven blocks so far.

Tsang Shuk-yin, head of the Hong Kong police casualty unit, said 30 more bodies were uncovered in recent searches, 12 of which were found by firefighters but were not recovered.

Tsang said another 100 people were missing and 79 were injured.

On Sunday, well-wishers at the scene bowed and recited short prayers or left handwritten notes among the flowers.

“This really serves as a wake-up call for everyone, especially when it comes to super-tall buildings,” said Lian Shuzheng, who waited in a queue of hundreds of people to add their flowers to the growing cluster of flowers.

Citizens also donated materials to those who lost everything in the fire, which started on Wednesday and was completely extinguished by Friday.

The cause of the fire has not yet been determined. Authorities are trying to avoid a broader public backlash after pro-democracy protests shook the city in 2019, prompting the imposition of a national security law by Beijing.

China’s national security authorities warned individuals on Saturday not to use the disaster to disrupt the city.

“We strongly warn anti-China separatists who are trying to ‘disrupt Hong Kong through disaster’. No matter what method you use, you will definitely be held accountable and strictly punished under the Hong Kong national security law and the National Security Protection Regulation.”

All eight buildings of the Wang Fuk Court complex in the Tai Po suburb were covered with bamboo scaffolding covered with nylon netting and windows were covered with polystyrene panels for renovations. Authorities were investigating whether fire codes had been violated.

Hong Kong authorities announced late Saturday that they had ordered the immediate suspension of work on 28 building projects undertaken by the same contractor, Prestige Construction + Engineering Company, for safety inspections.

“The five-alarm fire at Wang Fuk Court in Tai Po exposed serious deficiencies in PC+E’s site safety management, including the widespread use of foam sheets to cover windows during building repairs,” the government said in a statement.

The company did not return calls for comment Sunday.

The apartment complex consisting of eight 31-storey buildings in Tai Po, a suburb near Hong Kong’s border with mainland China, was built in the 1980s. It had approximately 2,000 apartments and more than 4,600 residents.

Many are housed in short-term emergency shelters or city hotels, and authorities are working on longer-term solutions.

“It’s heartbreaking,” said officer Jeffery Chan, who came to pay his respects Sunday. “As a Hong Konger, to see people where we live lose their families, everything, just overnight; if you put yourself in their shoes, it’s unbearable. They need the encouragement, support and help of the people of Hong Kong,” he said.

In Beijing, the emergency management ministry announced a nationwide inspection of high-rise buildings to detect and eliminate fire hazards.

“Bamboo scaffoldings, non-flame retardant safety nets… and fire fighting facilities and equipment such as fire hydrant systems, automatic sprinkler systems and automatic fire alarm systems will be among the main items to be inspected,” the ministry said.

The Wang Fuk Court fire is the worst fire recorded in Hong Kong since a warehouse fire killed 176 people in 1948.

Associated Press and Reuters contributed to this report