TAI PO, HONG KONG — Search teams combing the remnants of a catastrophic five-alarm fire in Hong Kong’s Tai Po district recovered an additional body Thursday, pushing the confirmed death toll to at least 128. Nearly 100 officers from the Disaster Victim Identification Unit (DVIU) returned this morning to multiple residential blocks within the Wonder Garden estate, formerly known in Cantonese as Wang Fuk Court, intensifying the grim forensic search following one of the area’s deadliest residential fires.
The latest discovery was made in Wang Shing House (宏盛閣) just before noon. Police personnel meticulously secured and removed the remains hours later, signaling the ongoing, painstaking effort to account for every victim. The fire, which also injured 83 people, has devastated the multi-story complex, leaving many apartments reduced to ash and rubble.
Search Teams Enter Collapsed Structures
The DVIU operation commenced early Thursday, with specialized officers—equipped with protective gear, non-slip footwear, and helmets—entering the severely compromised buildings. Their primary objective is to locate human remains, including body fragments or ashes, that may have been missed during initial rapid response efforts.
Sources close to the operation confirmed that previous searches of two other affected blocks—Wang Yan House (宏仁閣) and Wang Dao House (宏道閣)—had concluded without finding further casualties. However, the discovery in Wang Shing House underscores the complexity and necessity of these prolonged forensic operations.
“This is not merely a retrieval mission; it is a critical process of providing closure,” explained a safety expert familiar with disaster response protocols, who spoke on condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the operation. “Teams are documenting the exact location where remains are found and noting any personal effects left by the victims. This detailed mapping is crucial for positive identification, often relying on dental records, DNA, or specific objects.”
Identifying the Unaccounted For
The scale of the devastation has hampered immediate identification efforts. The intensity of the five-alarm blaze—the second highest rating on Hong Kong’s fire severity scale—resulted in extensive structural damage and, tragically, complete incineration in some units, complicating the tasks of both structural engineers and forensic teams.
The ongoing search represents the third day of continuous, focused forensic work since the main firefighting operation ceased. Police and fire officials have not yet publicly disclosed the suspected cause of the inferno, but investigations are running parallel to the recovery efforts.
The Tai Po blaze now ranks among the worst residential fire disasters in Hong Kong’s recent history, prompting urgent reviews of building safety codes and emergency response logistics for high-density housing estates.
Broader Safety Implications
As authorities continue the heartbreaking task of identification, the focus is shifting toward supporting the hundreds of displaced residents and reinforcing fire prevention measures across the city. The catastrophic loss of life highlights the severe danger posed by fire in aging, closely packed high-rise residential buildings.
The government is expected to release an initial report detailing the environmental and structural factors that contributed to the fire’s rapid acceleration. For the families of the deceased, the relentless work of the DVIU remains the only path toward receiving definitive confirmation and beginning the process of mourning. The operation in Wonder Garden is projected to continue indefinitely until all viable areas have been thoroughly searched and cleared.
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