As fire raced up seven high-rise towers in Hong Kong’s Tai Po district, resident Ng was in a state of disbelief.<\/p>\n
Her husband called her to say the buildings were on fire, but since the fire alarm had not gone off, she was unsure.<\/p>\n
For curiosity’s sake, she decided to go to the ground floor and look for herself.<\/p>\n
She witnessed an inferno as fire quickly spread from one building to another.<\/p>\n
“I came down and didn’t bring anything, just wearing this outfit,” she told the ABC.<\/p>\n
“I was so stupid I didn’t think to bring my cat down, now my cat has been trapped there for two days.”<\/p>\n
“It spread so fast. There was no saving it.”<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Flames rushed up the sides of the buildings allegedly helped by poor buildings materials, bamboo scaffolding and green sheeting. (AP: Chan Long Hei)<\/p>\n
The death toll continues to rise, with at least 83 people killed and more than 250 others still missing.<\/p>\n
Some 900 people who made it out alive are staying in nearby evacuation shelters.<\/p>\n
At least one resident reported hearing a loud noise about 2:45pm on Wednesday, Hong Kong time, before watching fire erupt in a nearby block.<\/p>\n
In a matter of hours, it spread across six other blocks in the complex, engulfing the properties in deadly flames and plumes of smoke.<\/p>\n
Authorities have still not revealed the source of the fire, but have confirmed that non-compliant building materials were used during renovations, including highly combustible polystyrene used to cover windows.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
The fire had been brought under control but not fully extinguished on Thursday night. (Reuters: Maxim Shemetov)<\/p>\n
Three people \u2014 two company directors and a contractor \u2014 have been arrested on suspicion of manslaughter.<\/p>\n
Ng, who only wanted to provide her surname, had lived in the building for 42 years.\u00a0<\/p>\n
She fears many of the other elderly residents could not get out.<\/p>\n
“Because people have lived in this estate for so long, many have gotten sick,” she said.<\/p>\n
“I was really lucky.”<\/p>\n
A satellite image of Wang Fuk Court housing complex before the deadly fire. \/ A satellite image of Wang Fuk Court housing complex after the deadly fire.<\/p>\n
Hong Kong’s fire department said extreme heat and falling debris made initial rescue efforts difficult.<\/p>\n
It said the blaze was likely to be extinguished in the early hours of Friday morning, more than 24 hours after it started.<\/p>\n
Questions over a lack of fire alarms<\/p>\n
The sheer scale of the devastation has left people reeling.<\/p>\n
Authorities have conducted the painstaking task of going room to room, hoping to find survivors, but in many cases finding bodies instead.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Firefighters were unable to access the buildings in the immediate aftermath of the fire because of extreme heat. (Reuters: Amr Alfiky)<\/p>\n
Multiple residents complained to the media that the fire alarms failed to warn them.<\/p>\n
“People are sad, shocked and also I’d say quite mad and angry about this situation,” witness Kin told the ABC.\u00a0<\/p>\n
“Friends of family live in this building; we couldn’t reach them.”<\/p>\n
“It’s horrible”.<\/p>\n
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Some people have begun the grim task of identifying their loved ones.<\/p>\n
A community hall has been set up as a viewing point for photos of the deceased. A makeshift sign on a nearby wall read simply: “Photo-viewing.”<\/p>\n
Dozens passed through the station on Thursday, desperately seeking answers.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
The smell of smoke was thick at the site of the disaster.<\/p>\n
\u00a0 (Reuters: Tyrone Siu)<\/p>\n
The mood was sombre as people waited to be led in, with onlookers kept away by police and media access limited.<\/p>\n
Paramedics and social workers stood ready inside to help.<\/p>\n
“I cannot find my family members in the photos \u2026 If they have more photos, I may come again to take a look,” said a woman surnamed Cheung, whose sister and brother-in-law are missing.<\/p>\n
“I cannot describe my feelings. There were children \u2026” an emotional Cheung said after leafing through the pages of photos.<\/p>\n
Hong Kongers support those in need<\/p>\n
While there has been an outpouring of grief, there has also been an effort to lift community spirits.<\/p>\n
Hong Kongers from across the city gathered, bringing donations of food, water, and clothing.<\/p>\n
The Hong Kong Red Cross has also been providing mental health support to those affected.<\/p>\n
“A lot of them are in a state of shock,” Dr Eliza Cheung from the Hong Kong Red Cross said.<\/p>\n
“Of course, they are finding it very hard to accept the reality, but we want them to feel they are not alone. We are here when they need us.”<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Eliza Cheung was helping those in need for the Hong Kong Red Cross. (ABC News: Tim Swanston)<\/p>\n
The Wang Fuk Court towers are nestled in Hong Kong’s densely-populated Tai Po neighbourhood and consist of eight buildings with a total of 2,000 apartments.<\/p>\n
It’s estimated to have housed up to 4,800 residents, including many elderly people.<\/p>\n