Casualty figures from the Wang Fuk Court apartment complex fire were announced today by Chris Tang Ping-keung, Hong Kong’s security chief, as authorities brought the blaze under control and began surveying the scene.

Tang added that out of the 128 fatalities, 108 bodies were found at the fire scene, and this number could still rise as many people remain missing.

Many bodies were found "unidentifiable" due to the intense heat from the fire. Approximately 200 people are still unaccounted for.

Victims' bodies from the Wang Fuk Court apartment complex fire are removed on 28/11. Photo: AFP

A Hong Kong government spokesperson earlier today announced that firefighting operations at the Wang Fuk Court apartment complex concluded at 10:18 a.m. (9:18 a.m. Hanoi time), with the fire largely extinguished.

This apartment complex fire is Hong Kong's deadliest in decades. The blaze burned for over 40 hours. In 1948, Hong Kong experienced an explosion and fire that killed at least 135 people.

The Wang Fuk Court apartment complex. Graphic: CNN

Wang Fuk Court, an apartment complex comprising eight buildings with nearly 2,000 units and approximately 4,000 residents, began burning at around 2:51 p.m. on 26/1. At the time of the fire, some buildings were undergoing renovation, surrounded by bamboo scaffolding and green netting on their exteriors. Strong winds caused the fire to spread along the bamboo scaffolding to the remaining buildings within the eight-building complex.

Hong Kong authorities are investigating the incident. The fire may have originated from the poor fire resistance of the scaffolding and workers smoking. Police arrested three people, including two directors and a consultant from the renovation subcontractor, on charges of negligence and irresponsibility for using unsafe materials.

Ngoc Anh (According to AFP, Reuters)