Fire alarm systems malfunctioned. Styrofoam, which was placed on the outside of windows of apartment buildings under renovation, was blamed for spreading the fire. As is likely the case with scaffolding made of bamboo and plastic tarps. All highly flammable materials which together act as accelerators, turning the facade into a vertical flame and turning the building into a death trap for the residents. The fire jumped unusually quickly to seven of the eight 31-storey towers of the Wang Fook Court complex in the north of the city. Hong Kong.
At least the devastating fire that broke out this week has already left the former British colony 128 killed and 79 woundedIncluding 12 firefighters. The fire was completely extinguished early Friday morning. There are still about 200 people missing. The high-rise complex destroyed by fire, according to the 2021 government census, had 1,984 apartments for about 4,600 residents.
While rescue teams continue to remove bodies and floors Looking for potential survivorsThe criminal investigation into what happened continues. Hong Kong residents are demanding answers about how the fires spread within minutes and why the alarms failed.
The Anti-Corruption Bureau announced on Friday that eight people had been arrested in connection with this tragedy. Three senior managers of the company contracting for the renovation work, PRESTIGE CONSTRUCTION AND ENGINEERING LIMITEDHe was arrested Thursday on a charge of manslaughter. Investigators believe that this company negligently used highly flammable materials.
The polystyrene that covered the windows and elevators on all floors was the main factor in the fire spreading more quickly inside the buildings and setting fire to floors across the corridors. The nets and fabrics used on the exterior of the buildings did not meet fire safety standards.
On Friday, more people were arrested: directors of the consulting firm hired for the project, Well Power ArchitectsA couple owns a scaffolding subcontractor.
An investigation by the South China Morning Post in Hong Kong indicates that the contractor had ““I have previously violated safety requirements for construction projects on multiple occasions.”. The company was even convicted of two safety offenses on a project in November 2023. However, this company was awarded the contract to renovate the Wang Fook Court buildings, built in 1983 in the north of Hong Kong.
In the first days after the fire, many technicians particularly pointed to the responsibility for the fire spreading to bamboo scaffolding, commonly used on construction sites. Hong Kong. But many Hong Kong residents defended the traditional use of this natural material, and continued to post videos of people pretending that it was fire-resistant compared to other materials that were present on the building’s facade, such as the nets used.
For many decades, the bamboo scaffolding used to build skyscrapers in Hong Kong has been part of the urban landscape, a testament to the craftsmanship that has survived the wave of modernism. But the devastating fire that occurred on Wednesday highlighted the dangers of using this substance.
Given the scale of the tragedy, the Chief Executive of Hong Kong, John LeeHe announced that bamboo scaffolding would be immediately replaced with metal structures. It’s a move that other areas of mainland China have been taking for years, with bamboo largely replaced by safer, fire-resistant and more durable metal scaffolding.
According to local media, there are about 2,500 workers registered as bamboo scaffolding makers in Hong Kong in the city. In March this year, the local government already issued a directive that at least 50% of new public contracts use metal structures because bamboo, as a natural material, varies in resistance with humidity – Hong Kong is a very humid city – and deteriorates over time.
Several alarm signals have already gone off this year: in October, a fire broke out in a tower in the central financial district, burning building grates and bamboo poles. In this week’s tragedy, several engineers reported that flames crept through the bamboo structure and plastic mesh, reaching several floors of the building under renovation in just minutes.
Next to the fire site A The community center where the found bodies are deposited In the buildings, relatives are trying to recognize their loved ones. Local authorities announced yesterday that the families of the deceased would receive assistance amounting to 200,000 Hong Kong dollars (about 22,000 euros), to which an additional allocation of 50,000 Hong Kong dollars (5,500 euros) would be added.
The Wang Fook court tragedy sparked deep public anger in Hong Kong. Many residents say they have been warned for months about the dangers of fires, citing the presence of flammable materials and the frequency of workers smoking and throwing cigarette butts among the fabric covering the building.