Latest figures released by the Hong Kong fire department puts the death toll in the apartment complex fire at 65 with around 70 people injured. Ten firefighters also sustained injuries in the incident.
As of Thursday, around 55 people have been rescued by firefighters out of almost 300 people who are unaccounted for.
The city's Chief Executive John Lee while giving an update on the situation said that rescue efforts were still ongoing.
"Despite the complex conditions at the scene, the firefighters' rescue efforts will not stop," he said.
An investigation into the blaze which began on Wednesday afternoon is ongoing with police and firefighters entering the scene to collect relevant evidence.
Hong Kong firefighters eventually brought the inferno under control on Thursday while police said its cause could have been a "grossly negligent" construction firm using unsafe materials.
Rescuers battled intense heat and thick smoke for more than a day after the blaze erupted as they fought to reach residents feared trapped on the upper floors of the Wang Fuk Court housing complex in the northern district of Tai Po.
The eight blocks of the tightly packed complex have 2,000 apartments home to more than 4,600 people in the financial hub struggling to overcome chronic shortages of affordable housing.
"We have reason to believe that the company’s responsible parties were grossly negligent, which led to this accident and caused the fire to spread uncontrollably, resulting in major casualties," Eileen Chung, a Hong Kong Police Superintendent, said.
Three men from the construction company, two directors and one engineering consultant, had been arrested on suspicion of manslaughter over the fire, she added.
Police said in addition to the buildings being covered with protective mesh sheets and plastic that may not meet fire standards.
A firefighter was among the 65 killed, as 45 people remain in critical condition in hospital, Hong Kong police told a press conference before dawn on Thursday.
"The priority is to extinguish the fire and rescue the residents who are trapped," Hong Kong leader John Lee told reporters earlier.
"The second is to support the injured. The third is to support and recover. Then, we'll launch a thorough investigation."
Some 279 people were uncontactable and 900 were in eight shelters, he added.
One 71-year-old resident surnamed Wong broke down in tears, saying his wife was trapped inside.
Harry Cheung, 66, who has lived at Block Two in one of the complexes for more than 40 years, said he heard a loud noise and saw fire erupt in a nearby block.
"I don't even know how I feel right now. I'm just thinking about where I'm going to sleep tonight."
More than 1,200 firefighters are battling to control the flames, along with 304 fire engines and rescue vehicles.
Hong Kong's Transport Department said that a number of roads would remain closed in the area on Thursday morning and 39 bus routes have been diverted.
At least six schools will be closed on Thursday due to the fire and traffic congestion, the city's Education Bureau said.
American Airlines said on Thursday it plans to resume daily service to Venezuela once regulators approve and security assessments are complete, markin...
Spain’s transport minister Oscar Puente said on Thursday that the government has stepped up investment across the railway network after years of und...
U.S. President Donald Trump said on Thursday that Russian President Vladimir Putin had agreed to halt attacks on Kyiv and other Ukrainian cities for o...
Gaza families are watching the Rafah crossing closely as expectations build for a phased reopening under the peace plan, though no timetable has been ...
U.S. border czar Tom Homan, newly appointed to oversee President Donald Trump's immigration surge in Minneapolis, said agents would concentrate on tar...
U.S. President Donald Trump said on Thursday that Russian President Vladimir Putin had agreed to halt attacks on Kyiv and other Ukrainian cities for one week, citing extreme cold weather across Ukraine.
The European Union has added Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) to its list of terrorist organisations, citing the group’s role in recent deadly crackdowns on protesters. EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas called it a “decisive step” to ensure that “repression cannot go unanswered.”
Iran’s armed forces are prepared to “immediately and powerfully” respond to any U.S. attack, Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi said, as American military assets arrived in the Middle East amid renewed tensions over Tehran’s nuclear program.
“The decision is made that the Qamishli air base is not needed anymore,” political analyst Dmitry Bridzhe said, as Russia begins withdrawing forces from its facility in northeastern Syria amid shifts in the country’s political and security landscape.
The S&P 500 edged to a record closing high on Tuesday, marking its fifth consecutive day of gains, as strong advances in technology stocks offset a sharp selloff in healthcare shares and a mixed batch of corporate earnings.
Liverpool confirmed direct qualification to the UEFA Champions League round of 16 with a 6-0 win over Qarabağ at Anfield in their final league-phase match. Despite the setback, Qarabağ secured a play-off spot, with results elsewhere going in the Azerbaijani champions’ favour on the final matchday.
Iraq's former Prime Minister Nouri Al-Maliki said on Wednesday that he rejects U.S. interference in Iraq's internal affairs, after U.S. President Donald Trump threatened to cut off support to the country if Maliki was picked as prime minister.
China is supplying key industrial equipment that has enabled Russia to speed up production of its newest nuclear-capable hypersonic missile, an investigation by The Telegraph has found, heightening concerns in Europe over Moscow’s ability to threaten the West despite international sanctions.
Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa stressed to U.S. President Donald Trump in a phone call on Tuesday the importance of unifying international efforts to prevent the return of "terrorist groups", including Islamic State.
American Airlines said on Thursday it plans to resume daily service to Venezuela once regulators approve and security assessments are complete, marking the carrier's return just weeks after the U.S. military operation that removed Nicolás Maduro from power.
Spain’s transport minister Oscar Puente said on Thursday that the government has stepped up investment across the railway network after years of underfunding, a point he underlined while senators pressed him over two recent train accidents.
U.S. President Donald Trump said on Thursday that Russian President Vladimir Putin had agreed to halt attacks on Kyiv and other Ukrainian cities for one week, citing extreme cold weather across Ukraine.
Gaza families are watching the Rafah crossing closely as expectations build for a phased reopening under the peace plan, though no timetable has been confirmed.
U.S. border czar Tom Homan, newly appointed to oversee President Donald Trump's immigration surge in Minneapolis, said agents would concentrate on targeted, strategic enforcement following weeks of criticism over heavy-handed tactics.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment