Hong Kong’s deadliest blaze kills at least 12S people

THE death toll from Hong Kong’s worst blaze in decades rose to 128 yesterday, with dozens still missing, as authorities said fire alarms in the residential estate buildings had been malfunctioning.

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SMOKE rises from apartments after a major fire swept through several blocks at the Wang Fuk Court residential estate in Hong Kong's Tai Po district yesterday.

(AFP)

Families scoured hospitals and victim identification stations hoping to find their loved ones, with around 200 people still listed as missing and 89 bodies as yet unidentified.

Flames moved quickly through the Wang Fuk Court housing estate in Tai Po district on Wednesday afternoon, spreading through seven of the eight high-rises and transforming the densely packed complex into an inferno.

The blaze was “largely extinguished” yesterday after burning for more than 40 hours, the fire services said, adding that they had finished their search of over 1800 flats for survivors.

Authorities are investigating what sparked the fire, including examining the bamboo scaffolding and netting wrapped around the complex as part of a major renovation.