The death toll from the Nov. 26 five‑alarm fire at Wang Fuk Court in Tai Po has risen to 151. The Disaster Victim Identification Unit (DVIU) continued its search and recovery operations at the scene today (Dec. 2), retrieving several more suspected bodies and collecting fire-resistant tarpaulins in the afternoon.
Chief Executive John Lee stated that the renovation work involved a deliberate mix of fire‑retardant and non‑fire‑retardant safety netting, along with extensive use of flammable foam boards. These factors allowed the fire to ignite quickly and sweep through multiple buildings.
Police testing of netting samples collected across the estate found that seven samples from four different blocks failed fire‑retardancy standards. The blaze is believed to have started in lower‑floor netting on one block, then spread via foam panels and falling burning debris.
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