Hong Kong residents react as deadly fire tears through housing estate

Efforts to control the blaze are continuing as locals wait for news of missing loved ones.

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Student Thomas Liu was one of many people drawn to the scene of a deadly fire that tore through much of the eight-block Wang Fuk Court housing complex in Hong Kong's Tai Po district.

At least 44 people have died so far in the devastating blaze that began on Wednesday, and with hundreds still missing, this number is expected to rise. The cause is not yet known, but three construction company executives have been arrested on suspicion of manslaughter connected to flammable materials, including mesh and plastic sheets, that may have allowed the fire to spread quickly.

"It's a disaster," Thomas said of the fire, telling the BBC he had seen a body being taken away.

"Many people sent us WhatsApp messages or called us, saying they still have relatives inside or can't find them," Mui Siu-fung, a councillor for the Tai Po district, told BBC Chinese.