Hong Kong authorities announced Thursday the completion of comprehensive interior searches across the seven residential towers of Wang Fuk Court in Tai Po, scene of a devastating No. 5 alarm fire, confirming the official death toll remains at 159. While specialized Disaster Victim Identification (DVI) teams scoured the exterior areas, including debris from fallen scaffolding, no further human remains were discovered. The immediate focus now pivots to the forensic analysis of previously recovered suspected bones and the critical effort to locate and verify the status of reported missing persons to finalize casualty figures. Meanwhile, thousands of displaced residents have been relocated, and support services are being ramped up across the city.
Forensic Efforts and Missing Persons
The DVI unit, which finished its complex, staged inspections of the residential interiors on Wednesday, spent Thursday concentrating on dangerous exterior sites. Though no new victims were located in these secondary searches, forensic experts have taken possession of previously recovered material suspected to be human remains. Government officials underscored the urgent necessity of tracing all reported missing individuals. This verification process is crucial for definitively establishing the total loss of life from the disaster as quickly as possible, providing closure to affected families.
Separately, an interdisciplinary investigative team headed by the Fire Services Department, in conjunction with the Electrical and Mechanical Services Department, probed the liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) pipeline located along the structure’s exterior wall at the likely origin point of the blaze. Preliminary examinations determined that the pipeline sustained no damage, suggesting the gas infrastructure was not a contributing factor to the fire’s ignition or rapid spread.
Shelter and Infrastructure Support
The massive displacement caused by the inferno has necessitated an unprecedented relocation effort. As of Thursday morning, 3,476 residents have secured temporary housing arrangements. Through coordination by the Home and Youth Affairs Bureau, 1,241 individuals were placed in secured lodgings such as youth hostels, camps, and dedicated hotel rooms. An additional 2,235 people were moved into transitional housing or units managed by the Hong Kong Housing Society, coordinated by the Housing Bureau.
While most temporary facilities are closing as residents are transferred to more permanent emergency accommodations, two key community centers remain operational for support:
- Tai Po Community Centre is still receiving residents seeking immediate aid.
- Tung Cheong Street Community Hall will continue operations until all registered users are successfully placed in their assigned emergency housing.
To facilitate the daily lives of these now widely dispersed residents, the Transport Department has directed public transport operators, including franchised buses, public light buses, and resident bus services, to augment routes and schedules. Extra vehicles and dedicated personnel have been deployed to ensure reliable connectivity between the new housing sites and central districts, a commitment the department pledges to maintain through close coordination with housing providers.
Animal Rescue and Recovery
During the multi-stage searches of 78 residential units, officers also carried out pet rescue missions. The operation successfully retrieved several live animals: two cats, four turtles, one lizard, and over 80 pet fish. Tragically, DVI teams also found the remains of six cats, four rabbits, seven turtles, two frogs, and numerous pet fish. All animals, both living and deceased, were transferred to the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) for necessary care or handling, highlighting the extensive impact of the disaster across the residential community.
The completion of the primary searches allows authorities to transition fully into the investigative and recovery phase, focusing on verifying the final casualty count and supporting the long-term needs of the thousands of residents navigating their new realities post-disaster.