Hong Kong mourns victims of blaze as search for remains continues

At slightest 128 radical died and 200 stay missing aft the towers lodging 4,600 radical were engulfed by flames.

People successful Hong Kong are mourning the deaths of astatine slightest 128 radical who died successful the region’s largest blaze successful decades successful an eight-apartment residential complex.

The flags extracurricular the cardinal authorities offices were lowered to half-mast connected Saturday arsenic Hong Kong person John Lee, different officials and civilian servants, each dressed successful black, gathered to wage their respects to those mislaid astatine the Wang Fuk Court estate since the occurrence connected Wednesday.

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Condolence books person been acceptable up astatine 18 points astir the erstwhile British colony for the nationalist to wage their respects, officials said.

At the tract of the residential complex, families and mourners gathered to laic flowers.

By Friday, lone 39 of the victims had been identified, leaving families with the morbid task of looking astatine the photographs of the deceased taken by rescue workers.

The fig of victims could inactive dramatically emergence arsenic immoderate 200 radical stay missing, with authorities declaring the extremity of the search for survivors connected Friday.

But recognition enactment and hunt for remains continues, arsenic Lee said the authorities is mounting up a money with 300 cardinal Hong Kong dollars ($39m) successful superior to assistance the residents.

The section assemblage is besides pitching in, with hundreds of volunteers mobilising to assistance the victims, including by distributing nutrient and different indispensable items. Some of China’s biggest companies person pledged donations arsenic well.

The Wang Fuk Court occurrence marks Hong Kong’s deadliest since 1948, erstwhile 176 radical died successful a warehouse blaze.

Officers from the Disaster Victim Identification Unit stitchery by the Wang Fuk Court property [AFP]

At slightest 11 radical person been arrested successful transportation with the tragedy, according to section authorities.

They see 2 directors and an engineering advisor of the steadfast identified by the authorities arsenic doing attraction connected the towers for much than a year, who are accused of manslaughter for utilizing unsafe materials.

The towers, located successful the bluish territory of Tai Po, were undergoing renovations, with the highly flammable bamboo scaffolding and greenish mesh utilized to screen the gathering believed to beryllium a large facilitator of the speedy dispersed of the blaze.

Most of the victims were recovered successful 2 towers successful the complex, with 7 of the 8 towers suffering extended damage, including from flammable foam boards utilized by the attraction institution to seal and support windows.

The deadly incidental has prompted comparisons with the blaze astatine the Grenfell Tower successful London that killed 72 radical successful 2017, with the occurrence blamed connected flammable cladding connected the tower’s exterior, arsenic good arsenic connected failings by the authorities and the operation industry.

“Our hearts spell retired to each those affected by the horrific fire in Hong Kong,” the Grenfell United survivors’ group said successful a abbreviated connection connected societal media.

“To the families, friends and communities, we basal with you. You are not alone.”