HONG KONG — Dark smoke was still rising from the charred husks of several high-rise towers in Hong Kong on Thursday, more than 24 hours after a fire engulfed the complex, killing at least 83 people and leaving many trapped.

More than 1,200 firefighters were battling to extinguish the blaze in what has become the deadliest building fire in the city in more than half a century.

The fire has been extinguished in four of the buildings in the complex and is under control in three others, Hong Kong fire officials said, but dangerously high temperatures and collapsed scaffolding in the towers are making it difficult to rescue trapped residents.

The cause of the fire, which started around 2:50 p.m. on Wednesday and quickly spread to multiple high-rise towers, was still unknown. But authorities

See Full Page