Hong Kong firefighters recovered dozens more bodies Friday after a massive fire swept through seven towers of the Wang Fuk Court complex, raising the death toll to 128. Rescue operations are ongoing.
Officials said 34 additional bodies were discovered in the charred buildings, and 89 of the victims remain unidentified. Authorities warned that the final death toll could increase as searches continue in the damaged towers.
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The blaze began Wednesday afternoon in one tower and quickly spread to six others, fueled by bamboo scaffolding and netting used for renovations. Smoke still rose from the buildings nearly two days after the fire.
About 2,300 firefighters and medical personnel worked at the scene, with 79 people injured, including 12 firefighters. Sadly, one firefighter was also killed during the rescue operations.
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Investigators found some fire alarms in the complex were non-functional, and authorities suspect exterior materials may have failed fire resistance standards, contributing to the rapid spread of the flames.
Three men linked to the construction company handling renovations have been arrested on suspicion of manslaughter. Police are investigating potential gross negligence and possible corruption connected to the project.