Overview
- Authorities kept the official death toll at 128 and said about 150 people remain unaccounted for, with rescue operations concluded and searches for remains continuing.
- Police and the anti-graft agency have made 11 arrests tied to the renovation project, with additional detentions on Saturday as inquiries examine possible corruption and unsafe materials.
- Preliminary findings point to malfunctioning fire alarms across all eight blocks and highly flammable foam boards, bamboo scaffolding and protective netting that drove the fire’s rapid spread.
- Hong Kong began a three-day mourning period, opened 18 condolence sites and set up a HK$300 million relief fund as donations and volunteer assistance continued across the city.
- Officers detained a university student linked to a petition demanding accountability, after mainland authorities cautioned against attempts to exploit the disaster for disruption.