Devastating Fire in Hong Kong Kills Close to 100 People

Hong Kong – A catastrophic fire at the Wang Fuk Court residential complex in Tai Po District has claimed at least 94 lives, Reuters reports.

The fire started on Wednesday evening and was largely extinguished by the following morning. More than 4,600 residents were living in the complex at the time of the emergency.

Authorities report that 279 people are still missing, though this figure has not been updated in the past 24 hours. This incident is the deadliest fire in Hong Kong since 1948, when a warehouse blaze killed 176 people.

Police have detained three employees of Prestige Construction, charging them with causing death by negligence and using hazardous construction materials. Investigators stated that highly flammable polystyrene panels were used during renovation works, blocking windows and preventing residents from escaping.

City authorities and emergency services continue to search for missing residents and provide aid to those affected. Hong Kong officials have described the fire as one of the deadliest tragedies in the city in recent decades.