Image source, Getty Images

"Hang in there."

Those were the last words Mr Chung said to his wife after a huge fire broke out in their public housing complex in Hong Kong's Tai Po district.

It was around 15:00 local time (07:00 GMT) on Wednesday when he got her panicked phone call. She said she couldn't get out of their flat with their cat.

He rushed home from work to find the 31-storey building in flames, with black smoke billowing out of it.

Mr Chung said he and his wife kept calling each other, anxious and scared. She told him she was about to faint as the smoke got thicker and thicker.

"She probably did faint," Mr Chung told BBC Chinese on Thursday, his eyes red from tears. "I dare not call her again."

Given that hours had passed since they spoke, he was braced for the worst. "She passed away with our cat, who she loves," he said, breaking down in tears. His wife was the only one in the family who didn't go to work or school on Wednesday.

Please read our latest story for more voices from Hong Kong residents.

Firefighters have said they expect the search and rescue operation at the still-smoldering complex to be completed by 09:00 (0100 GMT) - in just under half an hour.

"We'll endeavour to effect forcible entry to all the units of the seven buildings, so as to ensure there are no other possible casualties," Deputy Fire Services Director Derek Chan told reporters earlier.

Koh Ewe and Kelly Ng

Image source, Getty Images

Shock is giving away to anger in Hong Kong over the massive fire in the Wang Fuk Court housing estate.

Questions are mounting as to how the blaze spread so rapidly and who to hold responsible, with many Hong Kongers calling it a "man-made disaster".

Several residents have revealed in interviews that the fire alarm did not sound when the fire broke out.

Kiko Ma, who owns an apartment at Wang Fuk Court, says the alarms had been turned off amid renovation works, as construction workers regularly used fire escapes to get in and out of the building.

"This was preventable... A lot of people did not do their duties," the 33-year-old tells the BBC, claiming that the renovation firm used "poor quality, flammable materials".

She adds that residents often saw construction workers smoking and found cigarette butts along their window ledges, she adds.

"People kept asking what would happen if there was a fire. Everyone was very worried about this."

For more, please read our latest story on Hong Kong's deadliest fire in generations.

If you're just joining us, here are the latest developments after authorities said least 94 people had died in the fire at Wang Fuk Court:

• Hundreds remain missing more than a day after the deadly blaze broke out, with nearly 300 people still unaccounted for
• Authorities say substandard mesh and plastic sheets on the buildings' windows may have allowed the fire to spread more quickly
• A corruption inquiry has been launched following the arrest of three people in charge of renovation works in the complex
• Several residents have revealed in interviews that the fire alarm did not sound when the fire broke out
• The fire department said firefighters faced major challenges trying to rescue residents, including high temperatures and further scaffolding collapse
• Hundreds have been evacuated to temporary shelters while emergency housing units are being allocated to some
• The blaze has become Hong Kong's deadliest in almost 80 years - surpassing the toll of the August 1962 fire in the Sham Shui Po district which killed 44

Stay with us as we bring you the latest updates.

Image source, Getty Images

Image source, Getty Images

It's 07:45 in Hong Kong right now and we are resuming our live coverage of Hong Kong's deadliest fire in decades.

Authorities have just updated the death toll, saying at least 94 people have died after a blaze engulfed seven apartment blocks in the Tai Po district.

A 37-year-old firefighter is among those killed in the blaze, according to the fire department, with at least 76 more people injured, including 11 firefighters.

The latest rise in the death toll comes as officials say the blaze is almost entirely contained and rescuers continue to search the scorched buildings for people still missing.

Image source, Reuters

It has been more than 24 hours since a major fire engulfed seven apartment blocks in Hong Kong's Tai Po district - here is a recap of the key developments to bring you up-to-date:

• The Hong Kong fire department says 75 people have been killed and 76 others injured. At least another 270 people are still missing; 11 firefighters have also been injured
• As night falls, Hong Kong's leader says the Wang Fuk Court fire is now "basically under control", as emergency teams work to extinguish the last of the flames
• Hundreds have been evacuated to temporary shelters as volunteers continue to bring supplies to those displaced
• Investigators are looking into how the residential complex was being renovated. Police say the materials on the outside of the building - which included mesh and plastic sheets - were not fireproof

• Three construction company executives have been arrested on suspicion of manslaughter and "gross negligence", according to authorities
• BBC Verify has authenticated videos posted on social media which shows the first firefighters arriving on the scene at 14:57 local time (06:57 GMT) as flames spread to other floors - they've also put together a timeline and looked at new satellite imagery
• An assistance fund is being set up with each household being given HK$10,000 (£972, US$1300), Hong Kong chief executive John Lee said in an update

We're ending our live coverage now. You can read the full news story here.

As the latest update puts the death toll at 75 people, many residents are settling in for their second night without a home.

The still-smouldering outline of the high-rise complex looms over the area, donations of food, clothing and money continue to pour in, while investigations into the cause of the blaze continue.

Image source, EPA

Image source, Reuters

Image source, Reuters

Image source, EPA

Image source, Reuters

Image source, Anadolu via Getty Images

The Vatican has sent a telegram to the Bishop of Hong Kong on behalf of Pope Leo, addressing his condolences for the victims of the fire.

"He sends the assurance of his spiritual solidarity to all those suffering from the effects of this calamity," it reads.

The telegram, signed by state secretary Cardinal Pietro Parolin, says the Pope offers prayers to emergency workers and to those who are still missing.

The death toll has risen to 75 people, local media and the AFP news agency cite the Hong Kong fire department as saying.

They also report 76 people have been recorded injured in the blaze so far.

Watch: Verified video shows early stages of firepublished at 14:30 GMT 27 November

14:30 GMT 27 November

By Emma Pengelly and Yi Ma

Two videos posted on the social media platform Threads show the initial stages of yesterday’s deadly tower block fire.

By matching fence lines, trees and exterior walls with Google street-level images of Wang Fuk Court, we’ve confirmed the clips were filmed near an entrance of Wang Cheong House, the easternmost block in the complex.

We know they show the beginning of the fire because a video filmed later from farther away, shows only Wang Cheong House burning. The fire then spread to six other Wang Fuk Court blocks.

This also matches the account from the deputy director of Hong Kong Fire Services, Derek Armstrong Chan, who told reporters the blaze started at Wang Cheong House.

The person who posted the videos on Threads also described what they saw, they said:

• At 14:51 local time (06:51 GMT) they heard “some banging sounds” before seeing the fire
• At 14:57 the first firefighters arrived, by which time the fire had spread to other floors

Koey Lee
BBC Chinese, reporting from Tai Po

A 72-year-old woman, who gave her surname Chen, says she was alerted to the fire yesterday afternoon by her daughter, who was travelling in Korea.

She was home alone in the tower block at the time and took the lift downstairs

Chen, who is staying at a friend’s home, returned to the scene this morning to check what was happening.

She says she had been worried for months, as she often smelled burning and heard loud noises after maintenance work began last year.

Now that all her family members are safe, what she worries about most is the belongings in her home.

All government-organised celebratory events will be cancelled or postponed following the Wang Fuk Court fire, Hong Kong's Chief Executive John Lee said earlier.

A major K-pop awards ceremony, the MAMA awards, has cancelled its red carpet - remaining events are still expected to go ahead, however.

Daily light-and-music show, a Symphony of Lights, is also cancelled until further notice.

Earlier, Lee also said government officials would make fewer public appearances.

We're getting more pictures from near Wang Fuk Court now, this time showing volunteers arriving with emergency supplies for evacuated residents.

Earlier, we heard that 1,800 housing units would be provided to support displaced residents, alongside cash relief measures.

Image source, Reuters

Image source, Reuters

Image source, Reuters

We can bring you more now from that statement from Eric Chan, the chief secretary to the Hong Kong administration.

He says police seized "suspected substandard foam boards" from the Wang Fuk Court - where the fire broke out.

Police and firefighters will enter the scene to collect evidence and review CCTV footage from the surrounding area, he adds.

Chan also promises "patrols and regulatory efforts" to ensure the safety of materials used at all housing estates undergoing major repairs in Hong Kong, and to protect their current residents.

Image source, Reuters

The chief secretary of the Hong Kong administration has provided an update on the "comprehensive investigation" to be carried out following the deadly fire.

Eric Chan says there will be a criminal investigation by police, in addition to an investigation by the housing bureau into whether the protective material on the building's exterior wall "met fire-retardant standards".

Chan says they aim to "thoroughly determine the cause of the fire and hold those responsible accountable".

"The results will be released in stages," he says.

The fire department in Hong Kong has just updated the death toll following the tower block fire.

As of 20:00 local time (12:00 GMT), 65 people have died in the fire, with 70 injured, it says.

Ten firefighters are also injured.

Image source, Bloomberg via Getty Images

Earlier on, Hong Kong's Chief Executive John Lee said firefighters had successfully rescued 55 people.

"Despite the complex conditions at the scene, the firefighters' rescue efforts will not stop," he told a news conference.

He also said says the government had opened nine emergency shelters so far, currently housing more than 500 residents.

Meanwhile, volunteer group Hong Kong Guardians says it has 20 people helping to rescue animals and people from flats. Vets and veterinary nurses are at the scene, it added.

Image source, Bloomberg via Getty Images

Image source, Bloomberg via Getty Images

What do we know?

• At least 55 people have been killed and almost 300 are missing after a fire broke out at several housing blocks at 14:51 local time on Wednesday (06:51 GMT)

• Three construction company executives have been arrested on suspicion of manslaughter and an investigation into possible corruption has been launched
• The blaze is now "basically under control", according to Hong Kong Chief Executive John Lee
• A HK$300m (£29m, US$39m) assistance fund is being set up and each household will be given HK$10,000 (£972, US$1300), he said

What don't we know?

• What caused the fire or who's responsible - it spread unusually quickly and police say the mesh material and plastic sheets on the outside of the building were not fireproof
• The identities of those killed or how many people were inside when the fire broke out

Earlier, Hong Kong Chief Executive John Lee said the fire at all seven buildings in Wang Fuk Court is "basically under control".

But as night falls on Hong Kong, rescue efforts are still going on.

The latest images show smoke rising from the blackened tower blocks as fire crews tackle the flames.

Image source, Getty Images

Image source, Reuters

Image source, AFP

Albert Lai, a retired resident who lives near Wang Fuk Court, tells AFP that police knocked on his door shortly after the fire broke out, telling them to close all windows and doors and leave.

"I'd be lying if I said I managed to sleep - it was an unfamiliar place and very noisy," he says. He spent the night on the floor of a shopping centre.

Daisy Yan, 60, has been evacuated as she lives in a building next to Wang Fuk Court. Some of her friends living in the area are uncontactable, she tells Reuters.

"I do not know if I can return home tonight," she says.

Image source, Reuters