Hong Kong Fire Death Toll Reaches 146: Safety Concerns Mount as Investigation Reveals Alarm Failures

Fire alarm failures were discovered by first responders during testing at the apartment complex.

Hong Kong's devastating apartment fire death toll reached 146 on Sunday as investigators continued to recover bodies from the charred buildings. Citizens created a growing memorial at the disaster site, placing flowers to honor victims of one of the city's most catastrophic incidents.

Police Disaster Victim Identification Unit officer Cheng Ka-chun reported finding bodies throughout the Wang Fuk Court complex, including inside apartments and on rooftops. Despite the buildings remaining structurally intact, search efforts have progressed slowly.

"The darkness inside makes our work extremely challenging, especially in areas far from windows," Cheng explained to reporters while still wearing his protective gear.

The search team has completed examining four of seven affected blocks, according to Cheng.

Tsang Shuk-yin, head of the police casualty unit, confirmed that recent searches recovered an additional 30 bodies, including 12 previously spotted but not retrieved by firefighters.

Authorities reported 100 people remain unaccounted for while 79 have sustained injuries.

At the memorial site, mourners offered prayers and left handwritten notes among floral tributes.

"This tragedy serves as a critical wake-up call for everyone, particularly regarding high-rise building safety," remarked Lian Shuzheng, who joined hundreds waiting to place flowers at the growing memorial.

The community has responded with donations for those who lost their possessions in the fire, which started Wednesday and wasn't fully extinguished until Friday.

The eight 31-story buildings in the Wang Fuk Court complex were undergoing renovations, covered with bamboo scaffolding, nylon netting, and polystyrene window panels. Authorities are investigating potential fire code violations.

Hong Kong officials announced Saturday the immediate suspension of 28 building projects handled by Prestige Construction & Engineering Company pending safety audits.

"The Wang Fuk Court fire exposed serious safety management deficiencies, including extensive use of foam boards covering windows during repairs," stated the government announcement.

The company did not respond to requests for comment on Sunday.

Three individuals—company directors and an engineering consultant—were initially arrested on suspicion of manslaughter due to alleged gross negligence. After their release on bail, Hong Kong's anti-corruption authorities rearrested them and detained eight additional suspects, including subcontractors, engineering consultants, and project managers.

Built in the 1980s near Hong Kong's mainland China border, the Tai Po complex contained almost 2,000 apartments housing more than 4,600 residents. Many displaced residents now occupy emergency shelters or hotels while authorities work on long-term housing solutions.

"It's heartbreaking," said Jeffery Chan, a civil servant paying respects on Sunday. "As a Hong Konger, seeing fellow citizens lose their families and everything overnight is unbearable. They need our community's encouragement, support, and assistance."

Preliminary investigations indicate the fire originated Wednesday afternoon on lower-level scaffolding of one building. It spread rapidly as foam panels ignited and windows shattered, according to Security Secretary Chris Tang. Strong winds propelled flames between buildings, eventually engulfing seven of the eight structures.

Andy Yeung, Hong Kong Fire Services director, revealed that some fire alarms in the complex, which housed many elderly residents, failed to activate during testing.

The Indonesian Foreign Ministry confirmed seven Indonesian migrant workers among the deceased, with dozens more unaccounted for. The Philippines Consulate General reported one Filipina domestic helper killed and 12 others missing.

Hundreds of Filipinos gathered in central Hong Kong Sunday afternoon for prayers and hymns honoring the fire victims.

In response to the disaster, China's Ministry of Emergency Management announced nationwide high-rise building inspections to identify and eliminate fire hazards.

"Bamboo scaffolding, non-flame-retardant safety nets, and firefighting equipment including hydrant systems, sprinkler systems, and alarm systems will be primary inspection focuses," the ministry stated.

The Wang Fuk Court incident ranks as Hong Kong's worst fire since a 1948 warehouse blaze killed 176 people. According to the city's Antiquities and Monuments Office, the deadliest fire in Hong Kong's recorded history was the 1918 Race Course Fire, which claimed over 600 lives.