Death toll in Hong Kong apartment complex fire hits 146

Authorities in Hong Kong said 18 more human remains have been found after the huge blaze in the eight-apartment Wang Fuk Court estate, bringing the death toll to 146 people.

Police and fire authorities held a news conference on Sunday to provide an update on Hong Kong’s deadliest fire in more than 75 years, which burned through seven of the residential buildings in the complex over two days before being fully put out by Friday.

Shuk-yin Tsang, the head of the Hong Kong police casualty unit, told reporters at the scene that another 100 people remain unaccounted for and 79 were injured. The police had previously reported 128 deaths, with families assisting in the difficult identification process.

Cheng Ka-chun, the officer in charge of the police victim identification unit, said the unit has searched through four of the buildings so far, finding bodies both in apartment units and on the roofs.

He added that the unit “cannot rule out the possibility of further fatalities”, while the full search process across all burned buildings is expected to take three to four weeks.

At the scene of the blaze on Sunday, more than 1,000 people gathered to pay tribute to the victims, some bringing flowers and handwritten notes while others said prayers.

Joey Yeung, 28, whose grandmother’s apartment burned in the fire, said she had come with her family with a sense of both mourning for the victims and anger at those responsible.

“I can’t accept it. So today I came with my father and my family to lay flowers,” Yeung told the Reuters news agency. “I’m not asking to get anything back, but at least give some justice to the families of the deceased – to those who are still alive.”