[In Pictures] Giant Fire in Hong Kong: What We Know

A massive fire has devastated a residential skyscraper complex in Hong Kong, resulting in at least 55 fatalities, numerous injuries, and over 250 people still unaccounted for as of Thursday. This is the worst fire the Asian financial hub has seen in decades, sending shockwaves through one of the world's most densely populated cities, characterized by its towering residential and office buildings.

The blaze broke out on Wednesday just before 3 PM local time in a real estate complex named Wang Fuk Court, which consists of eight 30-story towers located in the Tai Po district, north of the city.

More than 24 hours after the fire started, it has been extinguished in four of the seven affected towers and is under control in three others, according to firefighters in a press briefing on Thursday. By Thursday afternoon, firefighters were still dousing the charred and smoldering towers, which were still burning in some areas.

Authorities reported that the fire rapidly spread to seven of the eight towers in this complex, built in 1983 and containing 1,984 housing units, which was undergoing renovations at the time.

The highest alert level, level 5, was activated, and firefighters worked throughout the night to contain the raging inferno.

The latest toll reports at least 55 confirmed deaths, including at least one firefighter among the victims. Approximately 279 people were initially reported missing, but some have since been located.

Around 900 residents have been evacuated to temporary centers, and dozens more have been hospitalized, some in critical condition. Eyewitness accounts indicated that several elderly individuals were at home during the afternoon when the fire broke out.

Rescue operations have mobilized over 1,200 personnel, more than 200 firefighting vehicles, and about 100 ambulances, according to official counts.

Solidarity chains have emerged around the fire site, with hundreds of volunteers bringing water and mattresses.

The exact causes of the fire, which seemed to spread through bamboo scaffolding, have not yet been conclusively determined. However, police have arrested three executives from the renovation company, accused of negligence after flammable materials were found abandoned. They may face charges of involuntary manslaughter.

The building's facades were covered in bamboo scaffolding, as is customary in Hong Kong, and wrapped in nets and plastic tarps. Police suspect that several of these materials did not meet fire safety standards, prompting an anti-corruption investigation.

Weather conditions, including winds of about 14 km/h, also exacerbated the fire and aided its spread from building to building. Since Monday, Hong Kong has been under a red fire alert, the highest level, due to the wind and a relative humidity level of 16%, the lowest recorded since measurements began in 1984.