Hong Kong police arrest three as apartment fire death toll rises to 44

A huge fire still burning in a Hong Kong apartment complex that has killed at least 44 people and left almost 300 missing may have been spread by unsafe scaffolding and foam materials used during maintenance work, police said on Thursday.

Working through the night, firefighters were struggling to reach residents potentially trapped on the upper floors of the Wang Fuk Court housing complex due to intense heat and thick smoke from the fire that erupted on Wednesday afternoon.

The tightly packed complex in the northern Tai Po district has 2,000 apartments in eight blocks, housing more than 4,600 people.

By Thursday morning, authorities said they had brought the fire in four blocks under control, with operations continuing in three blocks.

Police said in addition to the buildings being covered with protective mesh sheets and plastic that may not meet fire standards. 

"We have reason to believe that the company’s responsible parties were grossly negligent, which led to this accident and caused the fire to spread uncontrollably, resulting in major casualties," Eileen Chung, a Hong Kong Police Superintendent, said.

Three men from the construction company, two directors and one engineering consultant, had been arrested on suspicion of manslaughter over the fire, she added.

A firefighter was among the 44 killed, with 45 people in hospital in critical condition, Hong Kong police told a press conference before dawn on Thursday.

"The priority is to extinguish the fire and rescue the residents who are trapped," Hong Kong leader John Lee told reporters earlier.

"The second is to support the injured. The third is to support and recover. Then, we'll launch a thorough investigation."

Some 279 people were uncontactable and 900 were in eight shelters, he added.

One 71-year-old resident surnamed Wong broke down in tears, saying his wife was trapped inside.  

Harry Cheung, 66, who has lived at Block Two in one of the complexes for more than 40 years, said he heard a loud noise and saw fire erupt in a nearby block. 

"I don't even know how I feel right now. I'm just thinking about where I'm going to sleep tonight."

Hong Kong's Transport Department said that a number of roads would remain closed in the area on Thursday morning and 39 bus routes have been diverted.

• Hong Kong fire: 36 dead, 279 other unaccounted for in high rise blaze

At least six schools will be closed on Thursday due to the fire and traffic congestion, the city's Education Bureau said.

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