Death toll in Hong Kong fire rises to 44 with 279 still missing, authorities say

It's approaching 08:00 in Hong Kong (00:00 GMT), and the scale of the tragedy is still emerging after a major fire engulfed apartment blocks in the city's Tai Po district. If you're just joining us, here is what we know so far:
At least 44 people have died, while 45 people are in a critical condition. A further 279 people are not accounted for
Three people have been arrested on suspicion of manslaughter - two are directors of a construction firm and one is an engineering consultant