At least 146 people are known to have died in a devastating fire that tore through multiple high-rise buildings in Hong Kong.
Police announced the death toll in a news conference, cautioning that they 'cannot rule out the possibility of further fatalities'. A further 79 are injured and 150 remain missing.
Seven of eight tower blocks in a housing complex in the Tai Po district rapidly went up in flames, with accusations that flammable materials on the outside of the buildings exacerbated the fire and intensified public anger.
Thousands gathered at the Wang Fuk Court complex to mourn the victims, with queues stretching nearly 2 kilometers.
The death toll has been rising as officials work to recover and identify bodies. The cause of the blaze remains unclear; eight people have been arrested on suspicion of corruption related to renovations, while three others face manslaughter charges.
The fire, which quickly spread between and up the tower blocks, reached peak temperatures of 500C. A total of 2,000 firefighters responded, and it took until nearly Friday morning to fully extinguish the flames.
The Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) reported that those arrested include directors of an engineering company and scaffolding subcontractors. A police spokesperson suggested that negligence may have led to the fire's rapid spread.
In the aftermath, the towers have been temporarily shut for all private projects while investigations continue, expected to take several weeks.
During the mourning period, which began Saturday, officials observed a moment of silence and flags were flown at half-mast. Thousands left tributes, flowers, and handwritten messages for the victims.
Wang Fuk Court was built in 1983, housing nearly 4,600 residents, with many elderly long-term occupants.
This tragic event marks Hong Kong's most deadly fire in over 70 years, with the last significant tragedy occurring in 1948.
