Hong Kong authorities confirmed on Friday that at least 128 people have died in a catastrophic fire that tore through the Wang Fuk Court public housing estate in Tai Po, marking the city's deadliest fire in more than 70 years.
The blaze injured 79 others, including 12 firefighters, and left dozens to potentially hundreds still unaccounted for.
Rescue operations ended Friday morning after the fire, which began Wednesday afternoon, was declared fully extinguished.
Eight people were arrested Friday on suspicion of corruption connected to ongoing renovation projects at the complex, including engineering company directors, scaffolding subcontractors, and an intermediary.
Three others had been detained earlier on manslaughter charges for allegedly using flammable materials such as polystyrene foam boards and protective netting that enabled the fire to spread rapidly across seven of the eight 32-storey blocks.
The Independent Commission Against Corruption has formed a task force to investigate possible graft, while police described the actions of those responsible as grossly negligent.
Officials confirmed fire alarms in all blocks were ineffective, with some reportedly disabled by construction workers, despite prior resident complaints about safety risks.
The 1983 estate housed more than 4,600 residents, nearly 40% of them elderly.
Among the dead are firefighter Ho Wai-ho and at least two Indonesian domestic workers, while 19 Filipino helpers remain missing.
The government has established shelters, a HK$300 million relief fund, and support centers, with hundreds of volunteers distributing food, clothing, and hygiene items.
As identification continues — 89 bodies remain unidentified and 16 are still inside the buildings — mourners have gathered at the site and a nearby community hall, with public shock giving way to anger and demands for an independent inquiry into regulatory failures.