The death toll from the deadly fire at a high-rise apartment complex in Hong Kong has soared to 128.

According to media outlets, Hong Kong Secretary for Security Chris Tang told reporters during a news briefing on Friday that the figure may rise, as some 200 people remain unaccounted for.

Tang added that at least 79 people were injured in the disaster and that authorities were still sifting through hundreds of missing persons inquiries.

Earlier, authorities said the blaze that engulfed seven of eight 32-story buildings at the Wang Fuk Court in the northern Tai Po district had been extinguished 43 hours after it began on Wednesday.

Authorities are investigating the cause of the fire, including the widely reported use of mesh netting and bamboo scaffolding in building renovations.