Charise Pham

This is one of the deadliest fires in Hong Kong's history.

It took more than 40 hours to extinguish.

Government officials said temperatures on some floors were still too hot for rescuers to enter.

warning that the death toll could climb even higher.

The apartment complex had been under renovation, and police said construction material at the site was not up to standard.

The fire alarms were also not working properly when the fire broke out, according to Hong Kong's director of fire services.

Officials have launched a corruption probe into the renovation project, leading to the arrest of eight people on Friday.

That's on top of three people from a construction company arrested on Thursday.

For NPR News, I'm Cherise Pham in Hong Kong.

Rescue efforts have now shifted to recovery operations.

Many of the deceased haven't been fully identified and more than a dozen burned bodies remain in the buildings, authorities said at a press conference.

The fire is one of the deadliest in the city's history.

The apartment complex had been under renovation and was covered in bamboo scaffolding and netting.

Authorities initially suspected that the netting was a problem, but they now say it met fire-resistant standards.

Other construction material is believed to have spread the fire.

Fire alarms also failed to operate properly, according to public broadcaster RTHK.

For NPR News, I'm Charisse Pham in Hong Kong.