THE Hong Kong tower inferno has claimed further victims, as investigators say the search could take up to four weeks to complete.
Officials say 146 bodies have now been found, bumping the death told up from the previously reported 128, following the outbreak of flames at the Wang Fuk Court residential towers.
More than 1,000 people turned out on Sunday in a memorial for the people who lost their lives, as investigators continue searching through the charred rubble.
The terrifying blaze – Hong Kong’s deadliest fire in more than 75 years – was sparked on Wednesday.
The line of mourners stretched more than a kilometer, as people waited to pay tribute to the victims of the fire.
Many people laid flowers and sticky notes with messages attached for the victims.
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Shuk-yin Tsang, the head of the Hong Kong police casualty unit, said at least another 100 people were still unaccounted for.
The blazing inferno spread through seven of the eight apartment blocks in the complex.
Firefighters were only able to fully extinguish the flames on Friday morning.
Police said their search has continued through four of the affected buildings, however city officials have estimated the search process to take up to four weeks to complete.
Leading police investigator Cheng Ka-chun said bodies had been found throughout the buildings, in both apartments and roofs.
“It is so dark inside, and because of the low light, it is very difficult to do the work, especially in places away from the windows,” he said.
The buildings had been undergoing renovations prior to the fire.
Bamboo scaffolding draped with nylon had surrounded the structures and windows were packed with polystyrene panels.
Residents said their complaints about the flammability of the materials had fallen on deaf ears, with authorities claiming they faced “relatively low fire risks”.
Now officials are investigating if there had been fire code violations, amid public outrage over the blaze.
Beijing has warned that any “anti-China” protests will be shut down by the national security law.
Joey Yeung, 28, whose grandmother’s apartment burned in the fire, said they wanted justice.
“I can’t accept it, so today I came with my father and my family to lay flowers,” they said.
“I’m not asking to get anything back but at least give some justice to the families of the deceased – to those who are still alive.”
Fellow mourner Lian Shuzheng said: “This really serves as a wake up call for everyone, especially with these super high-rise buildings”.
Officials announced that at least 28 building projects undertaken by the Prestige Construction & Engineering Company – the same company that was carrying out the renovations on the Wang Fuk Court buildings.
The statement said the fire had “exposed serious deficiencies” in the safety of the company’s sites, “including the extensive use of foam boards to block up windows during building repairs”.
Two directors and an engineering consultant from a construction firm were arrested on suspicion of manslaughter the day after the fire.
A police spokesperson said they also suspect the company’s leaders of gross negligence, without identifying the firm by name.
The three men were later released on bail, but then re-arrested by Hong Kong’s anti-corruption authorities.
A further eight arrests have been made.