Hong Kong fire: Alarms were 'malfunctioning'; blaze spread through bamboo scaffolding

The fire alarms in the residential estate buildings ravaged by Hong Kong's deadliest blaze in decades, which killed at least 128, were malfunctioning, the city's fire service chief said Friday. 

"We discovered that the alarm systems in eight buildings were malfunctioning. We will take enforcement actions against the contractors responsible," Andy Yeung told a press conference. 

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The fire appears to have started on the lower-floor protective netting, government said. Foam boards and bamboo scaffolding also contributed to Hong Kong fire's spread.

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"We have been visiting the scene every day," said a man surnamed Fung who was looking for his 80-year-old mother-in-law.

"She is on antibiotics... so she is always sleeping. There was no fire alarm so she might not have known there was a fire," he said.

The city's anti-corruption watchdog said it had arrested eight people on Friday in connection with the fire, including "consultants, scaffolding subcontractors and (a) middleman of the project".

On Thursday, the body had launched a probe into the renovation project, hours after police said they had arrested three men on suspicion of negligently leaving foam packaging at the fire site.

Hong Kong authorities said they will immediately inspect all housing estates undergoing major work following the disaster, and will look into shifting construction sites to metal scaffolding in the longer term.

They have announced a HK$300 million ($38.5 million) fund to help victims of the fire.

Authorities had found temporary accommodation for around 800 people, the government said Friday.

Nine emergency shelters were also in operation, accommodating around 720 people overnight.