More pets have been rescued from the Wang Fuk Court housing complex, nine days on from last Wednesday’s deadly blaze.
The Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) said late on Thursday that the police Disaster Victims Identification Unit had re-entered the charred towers in Tai Po that afternoon for an animal-focused search.
Officers found two living cats, four turtles, one lizard and over 80 fish in 78 units, according to local media reports. Meanwhile, the bodies of six cats, four rabbits, seven turtles and multiple fish were also retrieved.
The living animals were handed over to the SPCA and transported to the NGO’s Wan Chai Centre for checks, the organisation said, adding that one of the rescued cats, “Little Black,” was adopted from the SPCA eight years ago.
“The owner rushed to the centre at once and was reunited with Little Black! Everyone present was deeply moved,” the SPCA said on social media. The pet cat was being treated at the SPCA hospital.
See also: ‘Rescued my soul’: Hong Kong firefighters save beloved pets from Tai Po inferno
Smoke inhalation
Earlier, the NGO said that, as of Wednesday night, 294 pets had survived the blaze while 70 were killed.
SPCA warned that smoke inhalation symptoms in animals may be delayed, as they urged owners to take their pets to the vet if they were exposed to the fire.
The Wang Fuk Court fire broke out last Wednesday and has since become the deadliest blaze in Hong Kong since 1948, killing at least 159 people.
Close to 2,000 families have been displaced after the flames engulfed seven of the eight residential towers at the estate. They had been undergoing major renovation works since July 2024.
As of Wednesday, 31 people were still declared missing, with 19 bodies yet to be identified.
Authorities have arrested 15 people responsible for major repair works at Wang Fuk Court on suspicion of manslaughter, as substandard construction netting and “highly flammable” foam board were identified as possible causes of the fire.
