Hong Kong fire death toll rises to 146

The death toll in a fire that tore through a Hong Kong residential estate this week has risen to 146, police said on Sunday.

Officers of the Disaster Victim Identification Unit recovered additional bodies as they expanded their search into three more high-rises at Wang Fuk Court, which suffered the world's deadliest residential building fire since 1980.

"As of 4:00 p.m. (0800 GMT), the latest death toll stands at 146. We cannot rule out the possibility of further fatalities," chief superintendent Tsang Shuk-yin of the police's casualty enquiry unit said at a news conference.

More than 1,000 people from across the Chinese city flocked to the housing complex in Hong Kong's northern Tai Po district to pay respects on Sunday, forming huge queues, an AFP reporter saw.

Authorities have set up an interdepartmental investigation task force to look into the cause of the blaze.

Hong Kong's anti-corruption watchdog has arrested 11 people in connection to the fire, three of whom were also arrested by police for manslaughter.

The Indonesian consulate in Hong Kong said at least seven Indonesian nationals died from the fire.

A Philippine overseas worker also died in the blaze, Manila's consulate said separately on Saturday.

Hong Kong's Buildings Department has ordered the temporary suspension of works on 30 private building projects across the city.

AFP