Bangkok: Britain's King Charles III has expressed his deepest condolences to the victims of the Hong Kong high-rise fire, saying he was deeply saddened by the events. In a statement on Friday about the tragedy, King Charles said his warm and heartfelt condolences go out to those who have lost loved ones and to those facing shock and uncertainty. He also spoke highly of the outstanding bravery of the emergency services and the determined spirit of the community members who shared in the tragedy.
According to Thai News Agency, the fire has killed 128 people, and the death toll is expected to rise as 200 people remain missing days after the disaster. The United Kingdom was once the colonial power of Hong Kong, and it handed back sovereignty over Hong Kong to China on July 1, 1997.
Authorities have arrested 11 suspects in connection with the city's worst fire in nearly 80 years as they investigate possible corruption and the use of unsafe materials during the renovation of the Wang Fuk Court condominium in Tai Po. Rescue operations at the scene in Tai Po district, near the border with mainland China, ended Friday, though police said they may find more bodies as they search burned buildings as part of the ongoing investigation.
The fire started Wednesday afternoon and quickly spread to the complex's 32-story building, which was encased in bamboo scaffolding and green netting and insulated with foam for building renovations.