The death toll from a massive fire at the high-rise apartment complex "Wong Fuk Court" in Tai Po, northern Hong Kong, has risen to 146. Hong Kong authorities said the number could increase as the search continues.
According to Xinhua News Agency and the South China Morning Post (SCMP), Hong Kong police said at an afternoon briefing on the 30th (local time) that the death toll, previously tallied at 128 as of the day before, had been counted at 146 after additional searches.
Authorities said they have completed searches of four of the seven buildings affected by the fire, and work is continuing in one building. The victim identification team said bodies are being found in various locations, including inside apartments, stairwells, and rooftops, and explained that even with natural light it is dark, so search teams are relying on headlamps and flashlights.
The fire broke out on the afternoon of the 26th at Wong Fuk Court, a 32-story (including the lobby level) residential high-rise complex. Seven of the eight buildings housing about 2,000 households were burned, causing extensive damage, and it reportedly took 43 hours to extinguish the blaze amid adverse conditions including dry weather and strong winds.