At least 83 people have died in a devastating fire that engulfed the Wang Fuk Court residential complex in Hong Kong's Tai Po district.
Hundreds remain missing, with around 300 unaccounted for, while 70 others sustained injuries, including more than 40 in critical condition.
The blaze, which started in bamboo scaffolding and construction mesh during ongoing renovations, spread rapidly across seven of the eight blocks, likely fueled by windy conditions.
One firefighter was among the deceased, and 11 others were injured while battling the flames.
The complex, built in the 1980s and home to about 4,800 residents in nearly 2,000 flats, housed many elderly people.
Hong Kong police arrested two directors and an engineering consultant from Prestige Construction, the firm handling the maintenance work, on suspicion of manslaughter.
Authorities allege the company was grossly negligent in using unsafe materials, which contributed to the fire's uncontrollable spread.
Police superintendent Eileen Chung stated, "We have reason to believe that the company's responsible parties were grossly negligent, which led to this accident and caused the fire to spread uncontrollably, resulting in major casualties."
In a raid on the company's office, officers seized bidding documents, employee lists, 14 computers, and three mobile phones.
The fire department reported extinguishing the flames by Thursday morning, with rescuers searching charred floors for survivors amid intense heat and smoke.
Hong Kong leader John Lee announced a HK$300 million fund to assist affected residents, as around 900 people sought refuge in shelters or makeshift setups like malls and tents.
China's President Xi Jinping called for an all-out effort to minimize casualties and losses.
Condolences arrived from international sources, including the US and British consulates, Taiwan's president, Pope Leo, and the Grenfell United survivors' group, drawing parallels to the 2017 London fire that killed 72.
The tragedy, the worst in Hong Kong since a 1948 warehouse blaze claimed 176 lives, has highlighted safety concerns with bamboo scaffolding, which is being phased out.
Families continue to identify bodies and search for loved ones, with online apps listing missing persons and grim updates from the site.