The death toll from a high-rise fire in Hong Kong has risen to at least 44, officials said Thursday as the blaze still smoldered and police said three suspects were arrested.

Hundreds more remained unaccounted for in the city's worst blaze in decades.

The fire which started on Wednesday afternoon in an eight-building complex with 2,000 apartment units shocked the Chinese financial hub, which has some of the world's most densely populated and tallest residential blocks.

The fire department raised the death toll from 36 to 44 in an early morning press briefing.

Police said in a brief advisory three men were arrested on suspicion of manslaughter in connection with the fire. It gave no details about what specifically they were accused of doing.

Huge flames first took hold on bamboo scaffo

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