128 dead in Hong Kong – fire alarms not working
The fire alarms did not work when the flames broke out and Styrofoam may have contributed to the spread.
Now more information is coming about the fire in several high-rise buildings in Hong Kong – which killed 128 people.
The death toll rose on Friday to 128 people, after the fire in a high-rise complex in Hong Kong on Wednesday, Reuters reports.
Around 200 people are still missing. At the same time, the investigation continues into what made the fire so devastating.
Now local authorities are saying that the fire alarms in the eight buildings did not work as they should when the fire broke out. The BBC reports.
Bamboo scaffolding
What caused the fire to take off has not yet been determined, but authorities say it started on the ground floor of the house and spread upwards.
The various materials that the buildings were made of have now also been included in the bullet hole.
According to the BBC, bamboo scaffolding was on the outside of the buildings, which has sparked a major debate about whether it contributed to the fire spreading faster.
However, on social media, Hong Kong residents are defending the material. It is often used in scaffolding in the country and now many are pointing out how fire-resistant the material is.
Nine arrested
The building safety manager also says that Styrofoam was found at the windows of the buildings and plastic sheets were on the outside of the facade, which may have contributed to the flames spreading so quickly.
Three people from the construction company who worked at the building were arrested shortly after the fire on suspicion of causing death.
On Friday, local media reported that another six people from the construction company had been arrested on suspicion of involvement in the fire.
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