Türkiye has extended condolences to Hong Kong as dozens of people were killed in a fire at a residential complex in Tai Po district.

The Foreign Ministry said in a statement on Thursday that Ankara is “deeply saddened” by the loss of lives caused by the fire that broke out on Wednesday.

“We extend our condolences to the families of those who lost their lives and to the people of the PRC (People's Republic of China),” the statement added.

In Hong Kong's worst fire in years, at least 83 people, including a firefighter, have died, and 76 others were injured, according to the South China Morning Post newspaper. Many are still missing as fire teams continue operations.

Flames were still visible in some of the eight-building apartment complex's almost 2,000 units well over 24 hours after the fire broke out, with crews still spraying water over the blackened exteriors.

Residents of Wang Fuk Court, located in Hong Kong's northern district of Tai Po, told AFP that they did not hear any fire alarms and had to go door-to-door to alert neighbours to the danger.

"The fire spread so quickly. I saw one hose trying to save several buildings, and I felt it was far too slow," said a man surnamed Suen.

The toll could yet rise further, with city leader John Lee saying in the early hours of Thursday that 279 people were unaccounted for.