The deadly fire that ripped through the Wang Fuk Court apartment complex in Hong Kong’s Tai Po district has claimed the lives of dozens, displaced hundreds, and led to the arrests of three local executives.
At least 75 people have died from the fire, which began Wednesday afternoon, local time, and eventually tore through seven of the complex’s eight towers. Roughly 4,600 people live in the complex, and nearly 300 are still missing, and 76 are injured, Hong Kong leaders have said.
Among the injured, 11 are firefighters, and Chief Executive of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region John Lee Ka-chiu said at least one firefighter has died as a result of the blaze.
The devastating fire, which is now under control, according to Hong Kong authorities, is one of the deadliest in recent memory and has already surpassed the death toll from London’s 2017 Grenfell Tower fire, which killed 72 people.
Hong Kong authorities have said materials on the outside of the building did not meet fire safety standards, and three executives from the construction firm that built the towers have been arrested for manslaughter.
“We have reason to believe that those in charge of the construction company were grossly negligent,” said Eileen Chung, a senior superintendent of police, during a press conference.
Parts of the building were under renovation, with bamboo scaffolding and a flammable safety net on the outside of the towers.
The aftermath of the fire is being felt locally and internationally. K-pop awards show, Mnet Asian Music Awards, being held in a Hong Kong stadium on Friday night, canceled its red carpet but still plans to proceed with the event. Pope Leo sent a telegram to the bishop in Hong Kong expressing his sympathies for the victims.
For those affected, the government has established an assistance fund where each household receives roughly $1,300, which is less than the average monthly rent in the Tai Po region.