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At least 44 people have died in a major fire that engulfed public housing apartments in Hong Kong’s Tai Po district, with 279 residents still unaccounted for.
Three construction company executives have been arrested on suspicion of manslaughter over the use of flammable materials, including mesh and plastic sheets, that may have allowed the fire to spread rapidly.
More than 800 firefighters have been battling the blaze at Wang Fuk Court, which has been burning for over 18 hours, according to the BBC.
The fire was classified as a level five blaze, the most serious level in Hong Kong.
A baby and an elderly woman were rescued during a late-night operation, local media reported.
Thirteen schools will suspend classes today due to ongoing firefighting operations affecting traffic, the Hong Kong Education Bureau said. Educational psychologists have also been deployed to nearby temporary shelters to support affected students.
Police provided further details on the suspects, who are aged between 52 and 68. Two are company directors and one is an engineering consultant. Investigators found mesh and protective material on the buildings’ exterior that did not appear to be fireproof, as well as Styrofoam on windows.
“We have reason to believe that those in charge at the company were grossly negligent, which led to this accident and caused the fire to spread uncontrollably, resulting in major casualties,” a police spokesperson said.
The cause of the fire remains unknown.
In response, Hong Kong has suspended all campaigning ahead of the Legislative Council election on 7 December to prioritise relief efforts.
“The top priority is to put out the fire and rescue trapped residents. The second task is to treat the wounded, the third is to handle the aftermath, and then we’ll undergo a comprehensive investigation,” Chief Executive John Lee told reporters at an early morning briefing, according to Radio Television Hong Kong.
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