Hong Kong police to conduct full investigation into residential area fire

Hong Kong, Nov 28 Hong Kong Police Force will conduct full evidence collection and investigation into the Wang Fuk Court fire in Tai Po, which is expected to take three to four weeks, Chris Tang Ping-keung, Secretary for security of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region government, told a press conference on Friday.

"It is believed that the fire first broke out in the lower-level perimetre nets of Wang Cheong House, igniting foam boards and spreading rapidly to other buildings. This caused the glass to shatter, the fire to intensify sharply and spread indoors, resulting in a disaster with large-scale simultaneous ignition. High temperatures burned the bamboo scaffolding, and falling burning bamboo pieces set fire to other scaffolding nets," said Tang.

According to the security chief, firefighting, rescue and search operations were completed at 10:18 am on Friday, Xinhua news agency reported. The fire has claimed 128 lives, with approximately 200 people still unaccounted for, Tang said, adding that it cannot be ruled out that more bodies may be found when the police enter the scene for investigation later.

A total of 391 fire engine sorties, 185 ambulance sorties and 2,311 fire and ambulance personnel were dispatched. Twelve firefighters were injured, and Ho Wai-ho, from Sha Tin Fire Station, made the supreme sacrifice in the line of duty, said Andy Yeung Yan-kin, Director of Fire Services of the HKSAR government.

Meanwhile, Hong Kong's Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) said on Friday that a special task force has been set up to launch a full-scale investigation into suspected corruption tied to a major renovation project at fire-hit Wang Fuk Court in Tai Po.

The anti-graft body announced that it arrested eight individuals in sequence on the day.

The arrestees, aged between 40 and 63, are seven men and one woman. Among them are four individuals from the consulting firm of the grand renovation project of Wang Fuk Court, namely two Directors and two project managers responsible for supervising the project. Three others are scaffolding subcontractors, including a couple who are the proprietors of a company, while the remaining arrestee is a middleman.

Search warrants were executed by ICAC officers at 13 premises on Friday, including the offices of the consulting firm and the subcontractors, as well as the residences of the arrestees. Relevant works documents and bank records were seized.

The investigation is ongoing and all arrestees are being detained by the ICAC for further enquiries.

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