Hong Kong officials stopped the search campaign for survivors in the Wang Fuk Court apartment complex fire, with a total of 160 dead people found.
Hong Kong police official Joe Chow Yat-ming said today that in the next stage, instead of rescue operations, forces at the Wang Fuk Court apartment complex fire scene will focus on dismantling scaffolding around the building to search for bodies.
Wang Fuk Court apartment complex on December 7. Image: AFP
Mr. Joe added that during the process of removing the scaffolding, firefighters discovered some bones on the ground, but could not determine whether they belonged to humans or animals.
The search and rescue campaign ended when officials confirmed a total of 160 bodies had been discovered in burned buildings. They have identified 120 people, the rest are waiting for DNA test results. Mr. Joe said officials will continue to update the number of fire victims.
The fire at the Wang Fuk Court apartment complex broke out on the afternoon of November 26 and was extinguished about 40 hours later. The fire destroyed 7 out of 8 buildings, leaving nearly 5,000 people homeless.
The Hong Kong government said it will prioritize psychological health support for those affected by the fire, and plans to promote a complete smoking ban at construction sites.