Firefighters are looking for hundreds still unaccounted for in the catastrophic fire at Hong Kong tower blocks.

Fire crews are continuing their search for countless missing individuals after a devastating blaze swept through several high-rise apartments in Hong Kong.

At least 83 casualties have been confirmed in the fire— the most lethal incident in the city in over seven decades— occurring at the Wang Fuk Court complex, home to many residents.

The towers had been undergoing significant renovations, and though the specific cause of the fire remains uncertain, authorities suggest that materials on the exterior may have contributed to the rapid spread.

Three executives from a construction company have been detained on charges of manslaughter and severe negligence, and Hong Kong’s Chief Executive John Lee has pledged a thorough investigation.

The fire, which raged through seven out of eight towers in the Tai Po district on Wednesday, is now reported to be “essentially under control,” according to Lee.

It ignited at 14:51 local time (06:51 GMT) on Wednesday, with flames and dense clouds of grey smoke rising from the structures, dominating the skyline.

By 18:22 local time, the blaze had been classified as a level five emergency—the highest rating.

Firefighter Ho Wai-ho, aged 37, was among those who perished in the inferno. He was discovered collapsed at the site roughly half an hour after losing communication.

Additionally, eleven firefighters have sustained injuries, according to the fire department.

The intense heat from the fire, along with hazardous debris and the threat posed by collapsing scaffolding, has hindered rescue operations; however, the fire department has successfully rescued 55 individuals so far.

“Despite the complicated circumstances at the scene, the firefighters’ rescue efforts will persist,” Lee stated at a press briefing on Thursday evening.

More than 270 individuals are still unaccounted for, with 76 reported injuries, as informed by Hong Kong’s fire service.

The atmosphere in Hong Kong has transitioned from shock to deep sorrow as questions mount over who is liable for the fire.

Frustration is growing on social media, particularly following several residents’ claims during interviews that they did not receive any fire alarm notifications when the incident occurred.

Kiko Ma, 33, an occupant in the housing complex, informed the BBC that some of the fire alarms had been deactivated during renovations, as construction workers frequently accessed the buildings via the fire escapes.

Complaints from residents last year about the renovation plans have resurfaced and are spreading widely online. Residents objected to the exorbitant renovation fees and questioned whether the materials used adhered to fire safety standards.

Materials such as mesh and plastic sheeting found on the outside of the structures are not believed to be fire-resistant, and polystyrene was also detected on the windows.

Authorities indicated these materials may have expedited the fire’s spread.

“We have grounds to suspect that those responsible at the company exhibited egregious negligence, causing this disaster and allowing the fire to spread uncontrollably, resulting in significant casualties,” a police spokesperson stated.

The Independent Commission Against Corruption in Hong Kong has announced plans to initiate a criminal inquiry into the renovation activities.

Fire safety specialist Prof Jiang Liming from Hong Kong Polytechnic University expressed his belief that the bamboo scaffolding linking the apartment blocks may have also contributed to the fire’s expansion.

Bamboo scaffolding is a prevalent sight in Hong Kong—recognized for its numerous high-rise towers—and is widely utilized in construction.

Lee indicated that inspections of “all housing estates undergoing substantial renovations” would be conducted to assess the “safety of scaffolding and building materials.”

He also mentioned that the government is contemplating a reevaluation of bamboo scaffolding and whether it should be substituted with metal frameworks.

Wang Fuk Court, located in the northern suburban Tai Po district of Hong Kong, was constructed in 1983 and features eight tower blocks containing 1,984 apartments for approximately 4,600 inhabitants, based on a 2021 government census.

Nearly 40% of the residents are presumed to be aged 65 or older, with some having resided in the subsidized housing development since its inception.

China’s President Xi Jinping has expressed his condolences for the victims and urged that every effort be made to extinguish the fire and minimize losses, as reported by state media.

The deadliest recorded fire in Hong Kong history claimed 176 lives in 1948 and was triggered by an explosion on the ground floor of a five-story warehouse.