The death toll from the devastating fire in Tai Po has climbed to 168 following forensic examinations, authorities revealed on Thursday, but said a full list of victims would not be made public for the time being to respect the wishes of bereaved families.

Secretary for Security Chris Tang said the figure is "the final number" of those killed in the Wang Fuk Court blaze in November, adding that all of the bodies and remains have been identified.

He also said authorities have settled all cases of missing persons.

"The police force is looking into the causes of the deaths and will submit a report to the coroner after the probe is finished. If the coroner decides to launch an inquest, then we will disclose information relating to the victims in the proceeding," Tang told reporters.

"At this stage, we want to respect the wishes of the victims' families, so we will not publish a list of all the victims. This is what we have done in the past."

On efforts to strengthen fire safety, Tang said officials are looking to better educate property management companies and residents, noting that authorities are unable to constantly be on standby at buildings for inspections.

"We are planning to raise residents' awareness and educate them on basic fire prevention measures, so that they can inspect their own buildings," he said.

"If they spot any issues, apart from reporting immediately to the management company and other relevant personnel, they can also inform the Fire Services Department for more efficient law enforcement actions."

The minister added that the administration is considering introducing fixed penalties for violations, such as blocking fire escape routes and locking smoke-stop doors.