What appears to be a clean-up crew wearing white suits walk amongst the ruins.

The housing estate was wrapped in bamboo scaffolding and green mesh for renovation work when the fire started and quickly spread on Wednesday.

Twelve firefighters were injured in the rescue efforts – with one is in a serious condition.

Tang said during a press conference that the fire alarms in the affected buildings were not working properly.

The fire is Hong Kong’s deadliest since 1948,when 176 people died in a warehouse blaze.

While firefighters contained the blaze on Friday and doused the still-smouldering complex,families were searching through photographs taken by emergency service workers for their loved ones.

On the second night after the blaze,dozens of evacuees set up mattresses in a nearby mall,many saying official evacuation centres should be saved for those in greater need.

People – from elderly residents to schoolchildren – wrapped themselves in duvets and huddled in tents outside a McDonald’s and convenience shops as volunteers handed out snacks and toiletries.