Hong Kong authorities confirmed that 146 people died after flames ripped through seven apartment towers at a government housing complex in the northern Tai Po district, and police warned the count could climb higher with 150 folks still unaccounted for. Thousands lined up for blocks to drop off flowers while officials kicked off a three-day mourning period, and investigators arrested eight people on corruption charges plus three more for manslaughter after finding that fire alarms failed across all eight buildings.
The blaze hit peak temps around 500 degrees Celsius and took over 2,000 firefighters roughly 40 hours to knock down completely, spreading fast through plastic netting and bamboo scaffolding wrapped around the towers during renovation work. Cops are combing through four of the blocks while piecing together what sparked the deadliest fire in over 70 years, and they suspended construction on 30 other private projects across the city while the probe continues.
The blaze hit peak temps around 500 degrees Celsius and took over 2,000 firefighters roughly 40 hours to knock down completely, spreading fast through plastic netting and bamboo scaffolding wrapped around the towers during renovation work. Cops are combing through four of the blocks while piecing together what sparked the deadliest fire in over 70 years, and they suspended construction on 30 other private projects across the city while the probe continues.
