Deadly fire in Hong Kong: three construction company employees detained
Photo: more than 40 people were killed in the fire, and around 300 are considered missing (Getty Images)
Hong Kong police have arrested three men suspected of involvement in the massive fire at a residential complex in the Tai Po district. They have been charged with manslaughter, according to Reuters.
According to law-enforcement officials, the detainees are two directors of a construction company and a consulting engineer aged between 52 and 68.
Police version of fire
Senior Superintendent Eileen Cheung stated that protective films and nets were found on the exterior parts of the buildings, which likely did not have fire-resistant properties. Sheets of foam were also discovered on the windows; similar materials were found in a building that had not been affected by the fire.
According to AP, the blaze broke out on Wednesday afternoon on the scaffolding of a 32-storey building. The fire then quickly spread to seven of the eight high-rises in the complex, likely due to strong winds. At least 44 people were killed, and another 279 are considered missing.
Rescue operations continued throughout the night: hundreds of firefighters, police officers, and medics worked at the scene, with around 200 fire trucks and more than 100 ambulances involved.
By Thursday morning, the situation had been partially stabilized, though firefighting efforts are still ongoing. At least 29 injured people remain hospitalized. About 900 residents were evacuated to temporary shelters.
As previously reported, the number of victims in the Hong Kong fire has increased.
