• The death toll from Hong Kong’s apartment fire has risen to 159.
• Six people have been arrested for allegedly deactivating fire alarms during renovations.
• The youngest victim was a one-year-old baby, while the oldest was 97.
• Authorities continue to investigate safety violations related to the fire.
• About 30 people are still reported missing following the incident.

The death toll from Hong Kong's devastating fire has tragically increased to 159, confirming it as the world's deadliest residential fire in decades. This figure is still subject to change as investigations continue, and police have noted the discovery of "suspected human bones" in the wreckage that require forensic examination. The search for victims was concluded across seven of the eight high-rise residential towers affected by the blaze, which broke out last Wednesday in Wang Fuk Court, located in the Tai Po district, according to Channel News Asia, CBS News, and Los Angeles Times.

In a troubling development, authorities have arrested six individuals tied to the fire alarm maintenance, suspected of deactivating alarms that failed to sound during the blaze, which itself lasted over 40 hours to extinguish. Officials indicated that some of the fire alarms in the complex had not functioned properly; however, the full extent of this issue remains under investigation. Police Commissioner Joe Chow confirmed that arrests were made as part of a broader inquiry into possible corruption and negligence related to ongoing renovation work at the complex, according to CBS News and Los Angeles Times.

In addition to the fatalities, approximately 30 individuals are still reported missing in the aftermath of the fire, which was exacerbated by the use of substandard materials during renovations. The fire spread rapidly due in part to bamboo scaffolding and plastic netting used in the construction zones. Following initial investigations, the government has mandated the removal of external scaffolding across numerous buildings undergoing renovation to prevent future incidents, according to Channel News Asia, CBS News, and Los Angeles Times.