Preliminary findings from Hong Kong authorities indicate that mesh sheets and polystyrene panels used on a housing estate were central to the rapid spread of a catastrophic fire that claimed over 150 lives last week. The blaze at the Wang Fuk Court complex in Tai Po represents the deadliest fire in the Chinese city for decades.
Failed Safety Tests and Suspected Fraud
Investigators sent more than 20 samples of the green mesh netting, which covered bamboo scaffolding around the buildings, for laboratory analysis. The results were damning: seven samples from four different towers failed to meet fire-retardant standards. This has raised serious concerns that safety requirements were either ignored or deliberately falsified.
Officials now suspect there may have been a coordinated effort to pass off sub-standard materials as certified fire-resistant products, potentially putting thousands of residents at extreme risk. The fire erupted while the eight-tower estate, home to nearly 4,800 people, was undergoing extensive renovations. It quickly engulfed seven of the high-rise blocks.
Government Response and Mounting Scrutiny
In response to the tragedy, the Hong Kong government has initiated a city-wide inspection of all high-rises currently under renovation. The focus will be on verifying whether materials advertised as flame-resistant actually comply with safety regulations. The government has also pledged a major overhaul of oversight, introducing stricter certification for building materials, mandatory on-site inspections, and tougher penalties for safety violations.
The reforms aim to prevent "any repeat of such a catastrophic failure". Meanwhile, public anger has grown with the revelation that the Labour Department had conducted 16 inspections and issued warnings to contractors at the site since July 2024, leading to questions over whether stricter enforcement could have averted the disaster.
A Community in Mourning and Political Fallout
The human cost of the fire continues to rise. The confirmed death toll stands at 151 people, with more than 40 residents still missing. Police official Tsung Shuk Yin stated that some victims' remains had been completely incinerated, complicating identification efforts. Thirteen people have been arrested on suspicion of manslaughter, including individuals linked to construction firms.
The community has responded with an outpouring of support, with public donations reaching HK$900m (£87m) to supplement government relief funding. Survivors are being temporarily rehoused in hotels and shelters. At a makeshift memorial near the charred buildings, residents like Loretta Loh continue to pay their respects, expressing a collective sense of grief and solidarity.
As scrutiny intensified, the government's Office for Safeguarding National Security condemned what it called "evil schemes" attempting to use the disaster to disrupt Hong Kong. Police have arrested at least three people, including a petition organiser, on suspicion of sedition. Analysts, such as Jean-Pierre Cabestan from the Asia Centre, note that public anger is directed at the government's accountability in the wake of the horrific event.
