Bamboo scaffolding and safety netting have been identified as significant factors in the rapid spread of a devastating high-rise fire in Hong Kong, which has resulted in at least 55 fatalities.
The fire erupted at the Wang Fuk Court residential complex in the Tai Po district on Wednesday afternoon.
Flames swept through seven of the eight 32-storey towers in the complex, with firefighters continuing efforts to control the blaze for more than 24 hours afterward.
Hundreds remain unaccounted for
According to the Hong Kong Hospital Authority, over 70 people have been injured in addition to the 55 confirmed deaths, and nearly 300 individuals are still missing.
Authorities are still investigating the cause and rapid spread of the fire, with current attention focusing on the bamboo scaffolding and construction materials present on the buildings’ exteriors.
Reports indicate the fire began on the exterior scaffolding of one tower and, fueled by strong winds and hot weather, quickly spread via the scaffolding and green construction netting into the building and then to adjacent towers.
Police reported discovering highly flammable Styrofoam attached to windows in a tower that had not yet been affected by the fire.
Bamboo scaffolding remains prevalent in Hong Kong, although the government announced plans earlier this year to phase out its use in public projects due to worker safety concerns, stopping short of a complete ban.
Authorities have also suggested that some of the materials involved may not have met regulatory standards.
The Hong Kong Labour Department’s Code of Practice for Bamboo Scaffolding Safety specifies that any protective netting, screens, tarpaulins, or plastic sheeting installed on scaffolding “should have appropriate fire retardant properties in compliance with a recognised standard”.
Three men have been arrested—two company directors and an engineering consultant, all from the same construction firm—on suspicion of manslaughter. Authorities have not released the company’s name.
Senior superintendent Eileen Chung told the Associated Press (AP), “We have reason to believe that those in charge of the construction company were grossly negligent.”
The AP has also reported that Prestige Construction & Engineering Company is responsible for ongoing renovation work at the complex, and police searched the company’s offices on Thursday.
City-wide scaffolding inspections planned
Hong Kong’s leader, John Lee, announced that officials will conduct inspections of all housing estates undergoing major renovations to ensure scaffolding and construction materials comply with safety standards.
Completed in the 1980s, Wang Fuk Court is a privately owned but subsidised housing estate, consisting of nearly 2,000 apartments and home to around 4,800 residents.
About 900 people spent the night in temporary shelters.
Hong Kong is one of the world’s most densely built cities, and this is not the first time bamboo scaffolding has played a role in a fire.
In October, a significant fire broke out in bamboo scaffolding at Chinachem Tower in the central business district, injuring four people.
Photo by Leung Man Hei/EPA/Shutterstock.
