Dozens dead after fire engulfs high-rise block in Hong Kong (VIDEOS)

At least 44 people have died and hundreds are missing after a massive fire engulfed a high-rise apartment block in Hong Kong on Wednesday, Reuters has reported. The blaze, which started mid-afternoon and quickly spread through the 31-storey towers, also left many injured.

The Fire Services Department told Reuters it did not yet know how many residents might still be inside. Wang Fuk Court, a complex of around 2,000 flats in the Tai Po district, houses about 4,800 people, according to AP, citing records.

More than 120 fire engines and hundreds of firefighters have been sent to the scene, but officials said the response has been hindered by falling debris and collapsing scaffolding that had been previously put up for exterior repair work.

Sixty-eight people remain in hospital, including sixteen in critical condition and twenty-five with serious injuries, while about seven hundred residents have been relocated to temporary shelters.

The Fire Services Department said fatalities included a firefighter, while another crew member was being treated for heat exhaustion.

The complex, occupied for over 40 years, had been undergoing exterior repairs at the time of the fire, with the buildings encased in bamboo scaffolding and construction netting. Officials said the fire began on the external scaffolding of one block before moving inside and then spreading to adjacent buildings, likely helped by strong winds.

A preliminary investigation found that highly flammable styrofoam had been used to seal lift windows on every floor, helping the fire spread quickly through corridors and into flats. Officials also said the exterior mesh netting and sheeting did not meet fire safety standards.

Three people, including two company directors and a consultant for the contractor that renovated the buildings, have been arrested on manslaughter charges for allegedly using non-compliant materials that fueled the rapid spread of the fire.