Hong Kong Fire Rescue Chief Describes Harrowing Search of Destroyed Complex

The head of Hong Kong's police search team has described the physically and emotionally difficult conditions rescuers faced inside a residential complex destroyed by a major fire. The team leader spoke on Wednesday as work concluded at Wang Fuk Court in Tai Po. His unit was responsible for checking more than 1,000 flats across seven towers. Rescuers encountered hazy air filled with a strong, pungent odor and dark rooms full of debris. They had to carefully remove bodies by hand. The police chief said discovering a dead child was a particularly distressing moment for the team. The operation has now ended.