Demise toll in Hong Kong fire rises to 168 after extra remains are known

HONG KONG — The death toll from a fire at a residential complicated in Hong Kong has risen to 168 from 161, officers acknowledged Thursday, after the remains of extra victims have confidence been known seven weeks after the Chinese territory’s worst blaze in a protracted time.

The Nov. 26 fire at Wang Fuk Court killed 110 ladies and 58 men ages 6 months to 98 years fashioned, Hong Kong police acknowledged in an announcement Thursday night. Four of us have confidence been declared lifeless after they have confidence been taken to the scientific institution, while the remains of the 164 others have confidence been recovered at the scene.

All fashions of remains have confidence been known and all households have confidence been notified, and there are now now not any extra missing persons unaccounted for, police acknowledged.

Few of the victims have confidence been publicly named. They encompass Ho Wai-ho, 37, a firefighter, and 10 international domestic workers — 9 from Indonesia and one from the Philippines — who’ve confidence been known by their governments.

Officers acknowledged two inner decorators and 5 construction workers have confidence been additionally among these killed in the Wang Fuk Court fire. Positioned in the suburban district of Tai Po, the high-upward thrust housing property, which had about 4,600 residents, used to be below a worthy-scale renovation when the afternoon fire broke out, leaving seven of its eight towers in flames.

The catastrophe has raised questions about dispute-rigging and corruption, as successfully as negligence by authorities officers, who’ve confidence cited spoiled mesh netting, polystyrene boards that have confidence been sealed to the windows and fire awe disasters as essential factors in the hearth’s open and hasty spread.

On Wednesday, at the main assembly of Hong Kong’s newly elected legislature, officers proposed rising supervision of constructing repairs projects and strengthening fire safety measures.

“We can moderately pursue accountability and rob disciplinary action basically based on facts towards anybody who must bear responsibility, no topic whether they are from within or outdoors the authorities or whether they are junior or senior workers,” acknowledged John Lee, Hong Kong’s high leader.

Officers additionally urged banning smoking on construction sites.

Local media reported this week that the beefy list of victims would be made public, citing family contributors who acknowledged Hong Kong police had contacted them.

Police acknowledged Thursday that the hearth remained below investigation and that a document would be submitted to the coroner, who would then decide whether to open a death inquest. In the occasion of an inquest, police would share well-known aspects of the victims’ identities with the court that’s listening to it, they acknowledged.

“Respecting the needs of the grieving family, the Police will now now not dispute the deceased’s particulars at this stage,” they acknowledged.