The death toll from the major fire that tore through a residential area in Hong Kong had risen to 94, as firefighting operation is almost complete, according to the Fire Services Department (FSD) on Friday morning.
The fire broke out in Wang Fuk Court, a residential area in Tai Po of Hong Kong, on Wednesday afternoon.
The FSD was still putting out fire in four units and spraying water on other units to prevent flare-ups, the FSD said in a press briefing early Friday morning.
Firefighters would enter all units in the seven affected buildings to search for trapped residents, said the FSD, adding that the search was expected to be finished by 09:00 Friday.
The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) government has set up nine emergency shelters for the fire-affected residents.
An outpouring of help and support kept coming to those in need. Donations of food, drinking water and clothes arrived in batches at emergency shelters.
"We came to Tai Po today to distribute supplies to the affected residents. There are cookies, candy, beverages, and soda, as well as cooked meals and fruit. We also brought daily necessities like shoes, socks, toothpaste, toothbrushes, and many other items. Basically, whatever the disaster victims need, we make sure they get it. We feel it's something we absolutely have to do," said a volunteer surnamed Lau.
Wang Fuk Court, an affordable housing complex completed in 1983, houses around 4,000 residents in 1,984 units. When the fire broke out, all eight buildings were encased by green mesh and scaffolding due to a major renovation project. The fire started from one building and spread to six others.
Death toll rises to 94 in Hong Kong residential building fire: fire department
Death toll rises to 94 in Hong Kong residential building fire: fire department
India's manufacturing industry has been threatened by shortages in the global energy supply amid mounting tensions and escalating spillover effects spreading beyond the Middle Eastern battlefield.
Glass producers in the country are feeling the acute strain of natural gas shortages, which have forced many production lines to shut down. This, in turn, has impacted beverage companies that rely on glass containers.
"The glass is a critical part of the packaging and it accounts for nearly 45 percent of the cost of beer. Now, there is no gas supply coming. So, a lot of furnaces are unable to operate. Production lines are shutting down," said Vinod Giri, director general of the Brewers Association of India.
Fuel shortages are also hitting India’s metalworking sector, leading to price volatility for stainless-steel cookware. As these goods are essential to daily life, persistent supply instabilities are placing considerable strain on related businesses
"[Metal] prices continue to rise, making our business extremely difficult. We face raw material shortages, production halts, shutdowns in some areas, and worker exodus. Since the outbreak of the war, raw material prices have risen by 10 percent to 15 percent and continue to climb. We have no idea when the price hikes will stop," said Krishan Aggarwal, a stainless steel cookware trader.
Israel and the United States launched joint attacks on Tehran and several other Iranian cities on Feb. 28, killing Iran's then Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, along with senior military commanders and civilians. Iran responded with waves of missile and drone strikes against Israel and U.S. assets in the Middle East, while tightening control over the Strait of Hormuz by restricting passage to vessels belonging to or affiliated with Israel and the United States.
Spillover effects of Middle East conflict threaten manufacturing industry in India
