Residents of the one residential block that escaped going up in flames in Hong Kong's deadly housing complex inferno were allowed to return briefly to their homes to pick up essential belongings on Wednesday.

The residents of Wang Chi House had to register with the authorities outside the building, and only two residents per flat were allowed to enter for up to one and a half hours to collect as much as they could carry.

Hong Kong's leader on Tuesday announced an independent committee headed by a judge would be set up to determine the cause of the deadly high-rise fire that shocked the city and to recommend changes to prevent a future tragedy.

At least 15 people have been arrested by anti-corruption investigators and police, including scaffolding contractors, company directors and an engineering consultant, as authorities investigate suspected corruption and negligence in a renovation project at the housing complex.

The fire started last Wednesday around scaffolding on a building at the Wang Fuk Court complex and spread to seven of its eight towers.

Police on Tuesday said that more bodies had been found, raising the death toll to at least 156 with about 30 people still missing.

The towers were home to more than 4,600 people and many have been left homeless.

Authorities on Tuesday said 2,500 residents had been moved into transitional housing units, some in government housing and others in hostels and hotels, while about 20 people remained in shelters that housed hundreds on the first night of the fire.

AP video by Katie Tam