HONG KONG—Police specialized teams began the grim task of victim identification and evidence collection Wednesday following the devastating Category Five fire that engulfed the Hong Fook Court housing estate in Tai Po, with the confirmed death toll rising to 128. Personnel from the Police Disaster Victim Identification Unit (DVIU) entered the heavily damaged buildings to search for remains and gather forensic evidence, marking a critical phase in the recovery effort after firefighters extinguished the massive blaze.
The operation, mobilized by the New Territories North Regional Commander, Assistant Commissioner Lin Man-han, saw over 600 DVIU officers deployed across the sprawling complex. Equipped with protective gear, non-slip footwear, and helmets, the teams initially focused on Blocks A (Wang Yan Court) and B (Wang Dao Court), which were contained earlier and deemed structurally safe following initial assessments.
By mid-afternoon, searches of Blocks A and B were concluded without the discovery of additional remains. However, officers successfully rescued three cats from Wang Yan Court and one tortoise from Wang Dao Court. These animals were immediately handed over to the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) for care.
Assistant Commissioner Lin described the challenges faced by search teams, noting the “complex and dark environment” within the burned structures. Many apartments suffered extreme heat damage, rendering them unrecognizable. In addition, standing water reached calf-level in some areas, and debris and collapsed materials significantly narrowed passage ways, compounding the difficulties of the search effort.
Identification Efforts Intensify Amid High Casualties
Authorities face a significant logistical and humanitarian challenge in identifying the deceased and accounting for the missing. Chief Superintendent Tsang Suk-yin, head of the Police Casualty Inquiry Centre, confirmed that as of 3 p.m. Wednesday, the tragedy had claimed at least 128 lives and injured 83 people.
Police have positively identified 84 of the deceased and 37 of the injured based on information provided by missing persons reports. However, 44 bodies remain unidentified, and police are systematically contacting next-of-kin for initial recognition procedures.
The search for the unaccounted continues, with 150 individuals still listed as missing. While police located and confirmed the safety of 144 reported missing persons, approximately 100 cases present unique difficulties due to the “fragmentary” nature of the reports, Tsang explained. In some instances, the caller had not contacted the missing person for years and could only provide vague details such as nicknames.
Weeks Needed for Full Complex Sweep
The police operation follows the fire department’s successful containment and suppression of the multi-block inferno. A key priority is ensuring both thoroughness and speed to offer closure to waiting families. Following Wednesday’s initial sweep, police cautioned that the full investigation and search across all seven affected residential towers will be protracted.
When pressed on a timeline for the complete investigation, Assistant Commissioner Lin conceded that despite the urgency, the complexity of the site necessitates patience. The current conservative estimate for the comprehensive search and evidence collection effort stands between three and four weeks.
In a public statement, the police emphasized the dedication of the DVIU officers, stating they are “in a race against time” to complete the work efficiently. Beyond victim identification, the extensive operation includes forensic investigation, traffic management, and coordination with media and relief bodies to guide affected residents through the aftermath and eventually enable them to access their homes for salvaging efforts.
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