The number of confirmed deaths in the fire that devastated a residential complex in Hong Kong last week has increased, police said at 4pm (8am in mainland Portugal), adding that the toll could get even worse.
“The death toll has risen to 146. We cannot exclude the possibility of more fatalities,” a police representative, Tsang Shuk-yin, told the press.
Hong Kong today celebrates the second of three days of mourning for the fire that consumed the Wang Fuk Court residential complex, in Tai Po, in the north of the city.
The fire broke out around 3pm on Wednesday (7am in mainland Portugal) in the Wang Cheong House block and affected seven of the eight buildings. Preliminary investigations indicate that the fire originated in the scaffolding protection net on the lower floors and spread quickly vertically.
Highly flammable expanded polystyrene sheets, used to seal the openings and frames near the elevators, as well as the exterior tarpaulins that violated fire safety standards, made it easier for the flames to enter the apartments through the corridors.
Since Wednesday night, thousands of citizens, neighborhood groups, unions, churches and volunteers have mobilized spontaneously, raising millions of Hong Kong dollars and distributing water, food, clothing and temporary shelter.
The Government announced an initial fund of 300 million Hong Kong dollars (33.4 million euros) to help victims and affected people, which has now reached 800 million Hong Kong dollars (88.6 million euros).
The launch of an “inspection and rectification” campaign against fire risks in tall buildings was also announced.
According to the state channel CCTV on Saturday, this campaign will focus, in particular, on the exterior or interior renovation works of buildings that are still occupied and the use of flammable materials in the works and bamboo for scaffolding.