Post by : Meena Ariff

The death toll from last month’s Tai Po fire has risen to 160 after DNA analysis confirmed two more victims, police reported on Tuesday. Six individuals remain unaccounted for. Authorities noted that the identities of 40 bodies are still being verified.

Police commissioner Joe Chow Yat-ming stated that the newly identified victims — an elderly woman and a domestic worker — were confirmed through DNA samples provided by relatives living in Hong Kong.

Teams working with the Housing Department have removed collapsed bamboo scaffolding from the affected buildings. During the process, skeletal fragments were found and are being examined to determine whether they belong to humans or are remnants already logged.

Meanwhile, the Fire Services Department has pumped water out of all seven affected buildings and confirmed that no further remains were found. Tsang Shuk-yin, head of the casualty enquiry unit, added that the status of several missing persons has been clarified: 12 are safe, four died before the fire, and six live outside the Wang Fuk Court estate. Six cases remain unresolved.

Police have collected DNA from 162 relatives to accelerate identification efforts with support from the Government Laboratory. Authorities continue clearing debris, Styrofoam, and scaffolding from building exteriors.

Investigators have uncovered 21 fraud cases related to the fire, with two arrests made so far. Six suspected cases of falsified safety documents concerning scaffolding nets are under review, with stricter regulations expected this week.

Multiple housing estates, including Baguio Villa, Fung Wah Estate, Fortress Garden, Yee Kok Court, Ching Lai Court, and Marigold Mansions, are being investigated; however, no arrests have been made.

Concrete core extraction from the damaged buildings continues. Scaffold nets have been removed from 230 private buildings following orders from the Buildings Department.

The Labour Department has inspected 371 construction sites, issuing 189 written warnings, 101 improvement notices, and 25 prosecutions related to fire protection and emergency preparedness.

The Hospital Authority reported that all 24 hospitalized patients are now stable, including one previously in critical condition, and promised continued dedicated care.

#Global News #Asia News