Hong Kong, Nov. 26 -- At least 44 people were killed and hundreds remained unaccounted for after a massive fire tore through a high-rise housing complex in Hong Kong on Wednesday, marking the city's deadliest blaze in decades. Firefighters were still battling pockets of flames on Thursday at Wang Fuk Court, an eight-building estate in Tai Po with nearly 2,000 apartments, as shocked residents gathered nearby.

The fire began on bamboo scaffolding set up for renovation work and quickly spread across several 31-storey towers. Authorities say flammable foam materials left behind during maintenance fuelled the blaze. Police have arrested three men on suspicion of gross negligence and recovered documents linked to the ongoing investigation.

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