HONG KONG, December 1 — Authorities today revealed that substandard fire safety netting was widely used in a recent catastrophic five-alarm fire in a public housing estate, leading to potential charges of corruption and widespread safety violations. The blaze at the Tai Po Wang Fuk Court estate, which burned for over 43 hours and resulted in multiple casualties and missing persons, accelerated rapidly due to protective scaffolding netting that failed fire-resistance standards.
Chief Secretary for Administration Eric Chan Kwok-ki, joined by Secretary for Security Chris Tang Ping-keung, Commissioner of the Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) Hugo Hu Ying-ming, and Director of Crime and Security Raymond Chan Tung, presented the initial findings of the interdepartmental Investigation and Regulation Task Force established in the fire’s wake.
Safety Netting Failed Crucial Fire Tests
Police collected 20 samples of scaffolding netting, known as bamboo mats, from various locations within the estate over the past two days. Mr. Chan confirmed that seven samples collected from four of the estate’s towers—Wang Tai, Wang Dao, Wang Yan, and Wang Chi—failed to meet official fire-retardant specifications.
Security Chief Tang highlighted the unusually rapid spread of the fire, attributing the swift escalation to either the protective netting or foam insulation boards. He noted a disturbing pattern: samples easily accessible for inspection near the ground level tended to pass the necessary fire safety tests, while samples taken from higher, harder-to-reach locations were significantly more likely to fail.
“The location of the netting made it extremely difficult for retrieval, even for firefighters,” Mr. Tang explained. “This pattern strongly suggests the intentional mixing of compliant and non-compliant protective materials.”
ICAC Details Corruption and Deception
ICAC Commissioner Hu provided preliminary details of the corruption investigation related to the estate’s repairs. ICAC believes that following damage caused by a typhoon in July, individuals involved in the renovation project deliberately purchased and installed vast quantities of uncertified netting.
Mr. Hu stated that evidence shows the implicated individuals bought approximately 2,300 rolls, totaling 7,500 square meters, of non-standard protective netting at a reduced price of HK$54 per roll—enough to cover all eight towers.
He alleged a calculated attempt to deceive regulators. After a separate netting-related fire occurred in Central in late October, the suspects reportedly grew concerned about forthcoming inspections. To “pull the wool over regulators’ eyes,” they then purchased 115 rolls (3,700 square meters) of compliant, more expensive netting at HK$100 per roll, installing it strategically only at the accessible ground-level base of each tower (known as the ‘piles’ or ‘stems’). This counterfeit measure allowed the project to pass subsequent superficial safety checks.
The ICAC has formally launched a full-scale anti-corruption investigation into the Wang Fuk Court repair project. So far, 12 individuals have been arrested, including engineering consultants, construction contractors, and scaffolding supervisors.
Citywide Safety Checks Initiated
Chief Secretary Chan emphasized that fire investigation and citywide safety regulation remain dual priorities. The cross-departmental investigation team, led by the Fire Services Department, is conducting on-site investigations to analyze structural materials, including netting, foam boards, and canvas.
A parallel effort has seen the Buildings Department initiate special inspections of buildings currently undergoing major external repairs citywide. As of 11 a.m. today, they had inspected 359 reported buildings, confirming 300 were using scaffolding netting. Samples have been immediately collected for fire-resistance testing.
Mr. Chan assured the public that enforcement agencies would immediately follow up on any discovered violations during these citywide inspections. “We will not tolerate any shortcuts that jeopardize public safety,” he concluded. The widespread failure of fire-retardant standards points to deep-seated issues within construction oversight, raising urgent questions about safety compliance in ongoing large-scale urban maintenance projects.
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