Nation rallies in grief, support after Hong Kong fire

Winds helped the flames jump from building to building and soon seven of the eight buildings were engulfed. It took until Friday morning, some 40 hours later, for more than 2,000 firefighters to finally extinguish all the flames.

Firefighters found that some fire alarms in the complex, which housed many older people, did not sound when tested, according to Andy Yeung Yan-kin, the director of Hong Kong Fire Services, which is also part of the investigation.

Three men — the directors and an engineering consultant of a construction company — were arrested the day after the fire broke out on suspicion of manslaughter.

Police said company leaders were suspected of gross negligence. Those three were released on bail but then rearrested by Hong Kong's anti-corruption authorities, who have also arrested a further eight suspects including scaffolding subcontractors, directors of an engineering consulting company and the renovation project managers.