Firefighters continued to battle a second day of flames at a Hong Kong apartment complex, with the death toll in one of the deadliest fires in the city's modern history reaching 83, the Associated Press reported, BTA reported.
Rescuers with flashlights went from apartment to apartment in the charred towers as thick smoke continued to billow from windows in the “Wang Fook Court“ complex, home to thousands of people. It is located in Tai Po - a northern suburb near Hong Kong's border with the mainland. It is unclear how many people remain missing or trapped. This morning, Hong Kong leader John Lee said 279 people were missing. Authorities did not provide an update on the number of missing or how many people are still trapped in the destroyed buildings.
Firefighters have been battling the blaze since yesterday afternoon, when it is believed to have started from bamboo scaffolding and construction nets and then spread to seven of the eight buildings in the complex. Four towers have been gutted by the flames, while the situation in the remaining three towers is under control, authorities said this afternoon.
Rescuers "are struggling with the high temperature and are carefully climbing floor by floor, searching thoroughly and trying to rescue people as quickly as possible. We do not rule out rescuing more victims," a local fire department official said.
More than 70 people have been injured, including 11 firefighters, the fire department said. About 900 people have been evacuated to temporary shelters.