Charisse Pham

Flags are flying at half-mast across the city.

The fire broke out in a massive public housing complex, home to about 4,600 people.

The complex had been under renovation.

Officials say that the fire spread so quickly because of highly flammable styrofoam boards that were placed next to windows.

The fire alarms were also not working properly, according to fire department officials.

Authorities have so far arrested nearly a dozen people who were involved in the renovations.

Some of them face charges of manslaughter.

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

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 Charisse Pham in Hong Kong.

Firefighters are now going floor to floor to search for any residents that may still be trapped inside.

The fire burned through seven high-rises.

It's now under control, but some units were still burning more than 40 hours after the fire first broke out.