(MENAFN) Hong Kong authorities announced on Sunday that 159 residents, previously reported missing, were “safe” as the number of fatalities from Wednesday’s apartment complex fire climbed to 146, according to local media.

Police officials stated on Sunday that the casualty enquiry unit has verified the safety of the 159 residents who had been listed as missing, while the city continues to grieve the victims of its most lethal fire in decades.

Tsang Shuk-yin, the officer leading the casualty enquiry unit of the Hong Kong Police Force, reported that as of 4 pm local time (0800 GMT) on Sunday, the death toll from the fire had reached 146, with 79 individuals injured.

She clarified that 100 cases have currently been classified as untraceable due to incomplete details, people not residing in Wang Fuk Court, or informants lacking the addresses of the missing persons.

Approximately 40 individuals remain reported as missing, and authorities are actively working to locate them, she added, according to a Hong Kong-based media outlet.

On Saturday, Hong Kong commenced a three-day mourning period to pay tribute to the victims of the devastating apartment complex blaze, which also left 79 people injured, including 12 firefighters.

Rescue operations entered their fifth day, although the fires within the Wang Fuk Court blocks have been largely contained.

Officials cautioned that the death toll from the fire may continue to rise as additional bodies are recovered from the buildings.

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