Police: Final death toll in Hong Kong Tai Po fire reaches 168

Jan. 16 (UPI) -- The death toll from November's Tai Po Wang Fuk Court fire stands at 168, according to Hong Kong officials who said the identification and forensic examinations of the remains have been completed. The fire, the deadliest in Hong Kong in decades, erupted Nov. 26 at the Wang Fuk Court apartment complex in the Tai Po district. The Hong Kong Police Force said Wednesday the deceased have been identified as 58 males and 110 females between the ages of 6 months and 98 years. Four of the deceased were confirmed dead in the hospital, while the remains of the other 164 were recovered from the scene, according to authorities. Related 1 killed in head-on collision with Illinois school bus Heatwave deaths drove South Korea's 2024 disaster toll to 387 Construction crane collapses on train in Thailand, killing 22 Among the dead were a firefighter, two interior decorators, five construction workers and 10 foreign domestic workers, nine from Indonesia and one from the Philippines. "All bereaved families have been notified of the confirmed identities of the deceased," the Hong Kong Police Force said in a statement . "The Police stated that all remains recovered in the incident have been positively identified, leaving no unidentified remains outstanding. No people remain unaccounted for, the statement added. Out of respect for the families, the identities of the deceased will not be disclosed at this time. The buildings were under construction when the fire erupted. Investigations revealed that foam boards, protective nets, tarpaulins and plastic sheets used in external wall maintenance and renovation work did not meet fire safety standards. The Hong Kong Police Force has arrested 16 people between the ages of 40 and 77 on charges of manslaughter in connection with the five-alarm fire. The fire remains under investigation.

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