Phoebe Kong
BBC Chinese

Image source, EPA

We can bring you more lines now from a news conference given by Hong Kong Chief Executive John Lee.

He says that the government is considering a review of bamboo scaffolding and may replace it with metal frameworks.

He also says a mourning event will be organised, with details to be announced.

Some Beijing officials have already arrived in Hong Kong to assist in the rescue work, he says, including two deputy directors from the Hong Kong Macau Office.

Phoebe Kong
BBC Chinese

Hong Kong Chief Executive John Lee is speaking at a news conference, following the deadly blaze at Wang Fuk Court.

Here's a summary of some of the key lines so far:

• The death toll remains at 55, he says
• Some 1,800 housing units will be provided to support displaced residents along with cash relief measures of HK$10,000 (£920, $1280) per household
• A HK$300m (£29m, $39m) assistance fund is being set up to support those affected
• The administration will cancel or postpone upcoming celebration activities

• A formal request is being prepared for Beijing's assistance, including drones for structural inspection and additional medical supplies

• All remaining official legislative council election forums and campaign events have been suspended. There is no decision yet on whether the elections scheduled for 7 December will be postponed

Image source, Reuters

One 51-year-old resident - with the surname Wan - tells Reuters she bought her apartment in Wang Fuk Court over 20 years ago.

"All our belongings were in this apartment, and now that it has all burned like this, what's left," she asks.

"I even feel like dying. Seeing it like this and being unable to help - what can we do?"

Another resident, a 52-year-old - with the surname Ng - says her block is still on fire and her daughter and husband haven't been evacuated yet.

"The husband of my neighbour has already died," she tells Reuters.

The Chinese military's Hong Kong garrison says it will "safeguard" the city, China's defence ministry spokesman says when asked if it will provide any support for the fire rescue.

The People's Liberation Army "will act according to orders, perform its duties in accordance with the law and safeguard Hong Kong", Jiang Bin tells a news conference.

Many of those impacted by the fire have been taken to nearby emergency shelters.

As we reported earlier, it's unclear how many people were actually in Wang Fuk Court when the fire broke out.

According to a 2021 government census, the complex is home to around 4,600 residents.

Image source, EPA

Image source, EPA

Image source, EPA

Image source, Getty Images

Survivors of the Grenfell Tower fire have sent a message of condolence and support to those affected by the blaze at Wang Fuk Court.

"Our hearts go out to all those affected by the horrific fire in Hong Kong," a group of Grenfell survivors posts on X.

"We are thinking of every family waiting for news, mourning loved ones, or holding onto hope for those still missing."

The fire which destroyed the west London tower block was one of the UK's worst modern disasters. Seventy-two people died.

The highly flammable cladding on the building was found to have been the “principal” reason for the blaze’s rapid spread.

In Hong Kong, police say mesh and plastic sheets found on the buildings' windows from renovations may have facilitated the spread of the fire.

Two Indonesian migrant workers "in the domestic sector" died in the fire and two others were injured, Indonesia's foreign ministry has announced.

Their identities have not yet been released.

Sringatin, a coordinator for Indonesian migrant workers in Hong Kong, tells BBC Indonesia that at least seven Indonesian workers living in the apartment blocks are currently missing. Their condition is unknown.

Yul Edison, the consul general for Indonesia in Hong Kong, says his team is looking for Indonesians in several temporary shelters.

There are more than 367,000 foreign domestic helpers in Hong Kong and 97% come from the Philippines and Indonesia, according to the city's labour department.

There are no confirmed Filipino victims yet, but the country's vice consul in Hong Kong, Jose Angelo Manuel, tells CNN of “unverified information that some Filipino domestic workers may be trapped inside the buildings".

Domestic workers in Hong Kong are legally required to live with their employer. They typically take on duties including cooking, cleaning and childcare, while many look after the elderly.

Nearly 40% of the 4,600 people who lived in the Wang Fuk Court housing complex are at least 65 or older, according to a 2021 census.

The fire broke out at Wang Fuk Court, a large public housing complex in the Tai Po district, at 14:51 local time on Wednesday (06:51 GMT).

The complex, which was built in 1983, is made up of eight towers, each 31 storeys high, with seven initially affected by the fire.

The complex houses 1,984 apartments and is home to some 4,600 residents, according to a 2021 government census. It is not clear how many people were actually in the complex when the fire broke out.

With hundreds of people losing their homes in the fire, many Hongkongers have stepped up, voluntarily donating food and clothing to those affected at a makeshift donation hub.

Image source, Getty Images

Image source, Getty Images

Image source, Getty Images

Image source, Getty Images

Several well-known Chinese businesses have pledged donations to support relief efforts.

Among them are Alibaba Group, which owns e-commerce platform Taobao. The group says it will give HK$20 million ($2.6m; £1.9m) to help with relief, while tech companies Tencent, Xiaomi and ByteDance have each pledged HK$10 million.

Sportswear giant Anta said it would donate HK$10 million in cash, and HK$20 million in cold weather apparel.

The Hong Kong government has arranged inspections of "all housing estates undergoing major repairs" to check the "safety of scaffolding and building materials", the city's Chief Executive John Lee said in a statement on Facebook earlier.

Authorities will continue to rescue trapped residents and provide support to those affected, including temporary accommodation, financial assistance and social workers, Lee said.

"The government will stand united with all Hong Kong people, and we are confident that we will be able to get through this together," he added.

Image source, Getty Images

Martin Yip
Reporting from Tai Po

Hong Kong Chief Executive John Lee has just arrived to inspect the situation at Wang Fuk Court.

Also present are dozens of police officers in green combat-style uniforms and riot helmets.

Hong Kong's Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) says it will launch a criminal investigation over renovation works at the Wang Fuk Court housing complex, where at least 55 people are now known to have died.

In a statement, the ICAC said it had "established a special task force ... to conduct a full investigation into possible corruption related to the major renovation works".

It expressed its "deepest condolences to the victims of the fire".

It's been nearly 24 hours since the blaze started at Wang Fuk Court in Tai Po, Hong Kong.

Many people are still anxiously waiting outside the buildings for news of their loved ones.

One man broke down in tears while speaking to local media today, saying he still had not heard from his wife, who was trapped inside with her cat.

Standing beside him, another man continued speaking to reporters. He teared up as he questioned why the fire spread so quickly.

"What was the reason the unit was filled with smoke within just 10 minutes?” he asked. “How could this be allowed to happen… There was no chance for people to get out alive."

Image source, Getty Images

While the death toll continues to rise, the fire department says it does not "rule out rescuing more injured people".

"We haven't given up until now," said an official at a press conference on Thursday afternoon, local time. However, the department will not predict the chances of survival of those residents still trapped in the buildings.

The major challenges firefighters have been facing include high temperatures, the small and crowded interiors of these apartments, and the risk of scaffolding collapsing further.

"It's difficult but going well at the moment," the official said.

Martin Yip from the BBC Chinese Service reports from Tai Po, where firefighters are battling to quell the remaining blazes.

The death toll from the fire engulfing public housing apartments in Hong Kong has risen to 55, according to the city's fire department.

Fifty-one died at the scene and four in hospital, a spokesman said at a news conference. One firefighter has also died.

Image source, Getty Images

It's coming up on 07:00 GMT and 15:00 in Hong Kong. It's also been nearly 24 hours since a major fire engulfed apartment blocks in the city's Tai Po district.

Here's the latest for those of you just joining us:

• The blaze, which broke out at a public housing complex undergoing renovations, has killed at least 44 people and more than 270 people are still not accounted for
• Officials say the fire is under control in four out of seven buildings, while others continue to burn
• Three construction company executives have been arrested on suspicion of manslaughter and "gross negligence", authorities say

• Investigations are ongoing, but police say mesh and plastic sheets found on the buildings' windows may have facilitated the spread of the fire
• Hundreds of residents have been evacuated to temporary shelters while emergency housing units are being allocated to some

• Hong Kong has suspended all campaigning ahead of the Legislative Council election on 7 December to prioritise relief efforts
• Questions are now mounting as to how the blaze started in the first place - and who should be held responsible

Fan Wang
Live reporter

The mood in Hong Kong has shifted from shock to anguish, as questions grow regarding who should be held accountable for the blaze.

Anger has been building on social media, especially after several residents revealed in interviews that they did not hear a fire alarm when the fire broke out.

Reports of their complaints last year over renovation plans have also resurfaced, and are circulating widely online.

Back then, some residents had taken issue with high renovation fees and questioned whether the materials used complied with fire-safety regulations.

Three people have been arrested on suspicion of manslaughter, and Hong Kong’s leader John Lee has vowed to launch a comprehensive investigation.

Danny Vincent
Reporting from Tai Po

On the ground people are asking questions on how this fire started and why it escalated so quickly.

It's been almost a day since the fires broke out. Earlier today, I could still see flames inside the building.

There are still plumes of smoke rising into the air, but they are thinning as firefighters bring the situation under control.