Eight More Arrested in Tai Po Blaze Tragedy Amid Investigation into Building’s Maintenance Works
HONG KONG: The Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) in Hong Kong has arrested eight more individuals in connection with the massive and deadly fire at the Wang Fuk Court residential complex in the Tai Po district.
The fire, which is confirmed to have claimed 128 lives with as many as 200 people still unaccounted for, has spurred a major corruption investigation targeting the building’s recent repair and maintenance works. The newly arrested individuals include engineering consultants, scaffolding subcontractors, and a middleman, highlighting a widening probe into possible illegal practices related to the renovation.
The fire, which engulfed seven high-rise blocks after starting on the external scaffolding, is one of the city’s deadliest in decades. A local official confirmed that firefighting and rescue operations were nearly concluded after days of intense efforts to combat the devastating blaze.
The latest arrests follow an earlier police action in which three men linked to the renovation project were arrested on suspicion of manslaughter and gross negligence, as officials investigate highly flammable materials used during the maintenance.