Authorities in Hong Kong have taken three men into custody on suspicion of manslaughter after a massive fire left at least 44 people dead.
The blaze broke out on Wednesday afternoon and swept through seven residential towers in a Tai Po housing complex in the New Territories.
Hundreds of residents were evacuated, and at least 29 people are still in the hospital.
Video footage shared online showed flames bursting from windows as darkness set in.
Police believe unsafe scaffolding and foam materials used during ongoing maintenance work may have helped the fire spread much faster than expected.
Fire crews continued working through Thursday to reach residents who might still be trapped on the upper floors, where thick smoke and extreme heat made access difficult.
Officials reported on Thursday that the death toll had climbed from 34 to 44. Another 45 people remain in critical condition.
The incident is now considered Hong Kong’s deadliest fire in decades.
The last time the city saw a tragedy on this scale was in 1962, when flames tore through several buildings in Sham Shui Po, killing 44 people.
A task force has been formed to look into what caused the disaster at the Wang Fuk Court housing complex.
The site includes roughly 2,000 units and is home to about 4,800 residents, and renovation work was underway when the fire started.
Investigators will be examining whether the materials used on the exterior walls of the apartment blocks were up to fire-resistant standards, since the flames moved far faster than normal.
Officials said the fire began on the outside scaffolding of a 32-storey tower before spreading into the building itself. Strong winds then carried the flames to nearby high-rises.
On Wednesday, Chinese President Xi Jinping offered condolences for the firefighter who died while responding to the blaze. He also extended sympathies to the families of those who lost their lives.
Fire commanders explained that extreme heat around the complex made rescue efforts especially difficult.
Roughly 900 residents were moved to temporary shelters.
Authorities said that hundreds of firefighters, paramedics, and police officers were sent to the area. Crews used ladder trucks to spray water at the powerful flames pouring from multiple floors.
More than 140 fire trucks and over 60 ambulances were dispatched.
The fire, which initially received a level 3 alert, was raised to level 5 by nightfall, the highest category.
Falling scaffolding and other debris continued to drop from the damaged buildings, making the situation harder for emergency teams.
A resident who gave the surname Wu said they had already stopped worrying about the state of their home.
