A series of horrific videos posted to social media show the extent of the towering inferno-style blaze that consumed several high-rise apartment buildings in Hong Kong, taking dozens of lives.
The blaze killed at least 36 people, with another 279 people missing, according to CNN. Firefighters were still trying to save people who were trapped on higher-level floors on November 26, CNN reported.
The videos show the towering buildings on fire.
"Horrifying visuals from Hong Kong, several buildings burned, more than a dozen people burnt alive. Rescue teams are trying very hard. Wishing for safety of everyone," wrote one person who shared the videos on X. The videos show that more than one building started on fire.
According to CNN, the blaze "spread across multiple high-rise apartment buildings in a Hong Kong housing complex."
Three men were arrested on suspicion of manslaughter on accusations that they started the fire, the network added.
According to The New York Times, the fire broke out in Hong Kong's Tai Po district. Another 29 people were hospitalized, The Times reported.
Tong PingMoon and his wife hid in a bathroom with towels over their faces to escape the smoke, but were rescued by firefighters, The Times added, giving the name of one of the apartment buildings as "Wang Fuk Court."
“We were so lucky. It was pitch dark,” Tong told the newspaper. “We wouldn’t have made it if we had to head out by ourselves.”
According to BBC, the towers were "covered in bamboo scaffolding and green construction netting" because of renovations.
Hong Kong "is one of the world's last remaining cities to use it in modern construction," BBC noted of the bamboo, adding that the authorities believe the fire spread through the bamboo scaffolding.
According to BBC, young children were trapped in the building.