Final Death Toll From Hong Kong Fire Put At 168

The final death toll from a devastating fire at a Hong Kong housing complex in November is 168, the city’s security chief said on Thursday, seven more than previously announced.

The blaze that tore through the high-rise estate in Tai Po District was the world’s deadliest residential building blaze since 1980.

Authorities previously said in the aftermath of the disaster that they had identified 161 victims.

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Announcing the completion of identification work on Thursday, security secretary Chris Tang said the number had risen to 168, a final toll.

“All remains, and bodies from the incident have been identified” with nobody unaccounted for, he said.

The names of the deceased will not be released at this stage to respect their grieving families’ wishes, Tang said.

All the families of the deceased have been notified, police said in a statement.

The deceased comprise 110 women and 58 men, aged between 6 months and 98 years.

They include a firefighter, two interior decorators, five construction workers, and 10 migrant domestic workers.

The fire at the Wang Fuk Court complex engulfed seven out of eight residential towers, which were undergoing renovations and wrapped in substandard netting that may have contributed to its spread.

Authorities have formed a judge-led “independent committee” to investigate the blaze.

Police have said they will continue to probe the cause of the fire and submit a death investigation report to the coroner.

City leader John Lee said on Wednesday that police have arrested 16 on suspicion of manslaughter in connection with the investigation, and a further six on suspicion of fraud.

Hong Kong’s anti-graft watchdog has also arrested 14 on suspicion of corrupt practices, Lee said.

AFP