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A deadly Hong Kong high-rise fire has killed 44 people, with more missing as police arrest suspects over alleged negligence.

Hong Kong is reeling after a massive fire tore through a high-rise housing complex on Wednesday, killing at least 44 people and leaving hundreds unaccounted for. 

The blaze, which engulfed several blocks of the Wang Fuk Court estate in Tai Po, continued to burn into Thursday morning despite hours of nonstop firefighting.

Emergency teams worked through the night but struggled to reach upper floors due to intense heat and heavy smoke pouring from the 32-storey towers. 

The estate holds about 2,000 apartments across eight blocks, making it one of the city’s many densely packed residential developments.

Images from the scene showed scaffolding collapsing and smoke filling the skyline as fire engines and ambulances crowded nearby roads. 

By Thursday, authorities confirmed that four blocks had been brought under control, while crews continued battling flames in three others more than 15 hours after the fire erupted.

Police say early findings suggest the blaze spread rapidly because of unsafe scaffolding and foam materials used during ongoing maintenance work. 

Much of the building was covered in protective mesh and bamboo scaffolding a traditional setup that officials had already planned to phase out for safety reasons.

Investigators also discovered that some windows had been sealed with flammable foam by a construction firm handling repairs. 

Police superintendent Eileen Chung described the company’s actions as “gross negligence” and confirmed that three employees had been arrested on suspicion of manslaughter.

Among the 44 confirmed dead was a firefighter who lost his life during the rescue operation. Another 45 victims are currently in critical condition in hospital. 

Hong Kong leader John Lee said rescuing trapped residents remains the top priority, followed by caring for the injured and conducting a full investigation.

Authorities reported that 279 people have not yet been reached, while about 900 residents have taken shelter in temporary centres.

From Beijing, President Xi Jinping called for an “all-out effort” to extinguish the fire and minimise further casualties. 

The disaster comes at a sensitive moment for Hong Kong, with a major legislative election only weeks away and long-standing public frustration over the city’s high housing prices and living conditions.

The tragedy is now one of Hong Kong’s deadliest fires in decades. The previous major incident occurred in 1996, when 41 people died in a Kowloon commercial building blaze caused by renovation work a disaster that led to sweeping reforms in the city’s fire safety rules.