A devastating blaze has ripped through several high-rise tower blocks in Hong Kong, leaving at least 44 people dead and more than 279 missing, with thousands of residents being evacuated to shelters.

Pictures showed several buildings ablaze and thick smoke billowing into the air, which dominated the Chinese territory’s skyline.

As night fell, the fire was still burning after first being reported. More than 760 firefighters were deployed to the scene as huge flames lit up the skyline.

As night continued to fall, the fire remained burning hours after it was first reported. China’s Head of State, Xi Jinping, has expressed condolences to all victims, including a firefighter who passed away in the line of duty. It’s still unclear what exactly led to the blaze, as investigations are currently underway.

The massive blaze broke out at the Wang Fuk Court, which is a giant housing complex in Hong Kong’s Tai Po district. Wang Fuk Court comprises eight tower blocks which are 31 storeys high. Seven of them were impacted by the mega fire.

They provide some 1984 apartments for nearly 4000 residents as per government sources. The buildings were first built in the year 1983 and are currently in the process of being renovated.

For this reason, they were covered with bamboo scaffolding and construction netting. Horrifying footage showed the fire spreading swiftly through that bamboo.

There were also some reports by residents in some local media interviews that their fire alarms did not sound when the incident took place, raising questions about what exactly went on.