Hong Kong begins three days of mourning after deadly apartment fires

Hong Kong has begun a three-day mourning period following the deadliest apartment fire in the city's history, which claimed 128 lives. The fire started on Wednesday afternoon at Wang Fuk Court in Tai Po district and spread quickly through the densely packed complex, engulfing seven of the eight high-rises. Authorities have arrested eight people in connection with the blaze, including consultants, scaffolding subcontractors, and a middleman of the project. Preliminary investigations suggest that the fire started on protective netting on one of the towers and was fueled by highly flammable materials. The city's anti-corruption watchdog has vowed action against contractors who failed to install functioning alarm systems in the apartment blocks. Families are still searching for loved ones, with 200 people listed as missing and 89 bodies unidentified.

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