A massive fire broke out in several towers of an apartment complex in Hong Kong on Wednesday (26), killing at least 44 people, injuring dozens and leaving more than 200 people missing, possibly trapped in the apartments, according to local authorities.
Three people linked to a construction company that is renovating buildings were arrested on suspicion of involvement in the fire. The work used protective canvas screens and bamboo scaffolding. Firefighters believe that these materials facilitated the rapid spread of the fire.
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According to local police, the materials did not meet fire safety standards. The three men were arrested on suspicion of manslaughter, when there was no intent to kill.
More than 15 hours after the fire broke out, about 800 firefighters continue to work to rescue the victims and control the fire. There are eight towers with more than 30 floors, four of which still need to be completely extinguished.
The residential complex is located in the Tai Po area and is estimated to have 2,000 apartments with approximately 5,000 residents.