FLASH
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At least 44 people have died in a massive fire that engulfed residential apartments in Hong Kong's Tai Po district, with more than 270 people missing.
Three construction company executives have been arrested on suspicion of involuntary manslaughter linked to flammable materials, including netting and plastic sheeting, which may have allowed the fire to spread rapidly.
About 22.7kg of fireworks stored in the building's premises had caused the flames to quickly spread to the upper floors, the South China Morning Post (SCMP) reported.
After 18 hours, officials said the fire was under control, with the flames considered level 5, the most serious level in Hong Kong.
A fire safety expert believes the large amount of bamboo scaffolding connecting apartment blocks caused last night's fire.
The flames managed to spread rapidly, causing a large number of deaths and injuries, said Professor Jiang Liming from the Hong Kong Polytechnic University.
Bamboo scaffolding is an iconic sight throughout Hong Kong and is widely used in construction.
Earlier this year, authorities announced plans to phase out the use of bamboo in favor of stronger, fire-resistant steel.
Prof Jiang also noted that the blocks in Wang Fuk Court were "relatively old", built in the 1980s, so "the glass windows are not that fire-resistant".
In November 1996, a fire at the Garley Building in Kowloon killed 41 people and injured 81 others.
The deadliest fire ever recorded occurred in 1948 after an explosion on the ground floor of a five-story warehouse containing "dangerous goods," according to the SCMP. It killed 176 people.
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