Hong Kong Apartment Fire Death Toll Soared To 128 People

JAKARTA - Hong Kong firefighters found dozens of bodies on Friday in an intensive search of the tower of the heavily burned apartment. The death toll has risen to 128, and many are still missing.

Emergency response workers found several fire alarms in the apartment that inhabited many elderly did not sound when tested, said Andy Yeung, director of the Hong Kong Fire Department.

Meanwhile, the anti-corruption agency said it was investigating the possibility of corruption related to the renovation project at the complex.

The fire spread rapidly from one building to the next when the bamboo coated with nets and foam panels appeared to be installed by a burning construction company.

On Friday, November 28, officers prioritized apartments that received emergency calls during the fire but could not be reached during the hours when the fire broke out uncontrollably.

Firefighters took about 24 hours to control the fire, and the fire was completely extinguished on Friday morning.