HONG KONG, Nov. 27 -- Hong Kong leader John Lee has said that 36 people were reported killed in the fire that spread through a dense high-rise residential housing complex on Wednesday, and that another 279 people were reported missing. Lee added that 29 people remained hospitalised. He said the fire, which broke out at a residential complex in Tai Po, a suburb in the New Territories, was "coming under control" shortly past midnight. Hundreds of residents were evacuated as the blaze spread across seven high-rise apartment buildings in a housing complex in Tai Po district, in the New Territories. At least 33 others were injured. Fire chiefs said high temperatures at the scene made it difficult for crews to mount rescue operations. It was not immediately known how the fire started. The fire sent up a column of flames and thick smoke as it spread quickly on bamboo scaffolding and construction netting that had been set up around the exterior of the housing complex. About 700 people were evacuated to temporary shelters. Records show the housing complex consisted of eight buildings with almost 2,000 apartments housing about 4,800 residents,. Multiple buildings close to each other were set ablaze, with bright flames and smoke shooting out of windows as night fell. Authorities said that hundreds of firefighters, police officers and paramedics were deployed. Firefighters aimed water at the intense flames from high up on ladder trucks. Nine people were declared dead at the scene and four others were later confirmed dead at the hospital, authorities said. Officials said the fire started at the external scaffolding of one of the buildings, a 32-storey tower, and later spread to inside the building and also to nearby buildings, likely aided by windy conditions....