Hong Kong fire has over 80 victims, construction firm workers arrested

At least 83 people have been reported dead in Hong Kong after the most tragic fire in 80 years, with 279 others unaccounted for. The fire broke out in the Wang Fuk Court apartment complex in Tai Po district, which was encased in flammable bamboo scaffolding and mesh during renovation.

Firefighters battled the flames and thick smoke for more than 24 hours, trying to rescue people trapped on the upper floors as soon as possible. They expect complete extinguishment in the next few hours.

Police have already arrested three representatives of Prestige Construction, which had the contract to maintain the buildings, on suspicion of manslaughter. The firm is believed to have grossly neglected safety precautions, allowing the fire to spread rapidly. Police seized documents and electronics from their offices.

The complex had been occupied since 1983 and is part of a government program to promote homeownership for middle-income families. The fire has drawn comparisons to the 2017 tragedy at London's Grenfell Tower, when 72 people died as a result of the building's flammable cladding.

Tai Po, where the tragedy took place, is a densely populated neighborhood near the border with China with a population of around 300 thousand.

(reuters, max)