Residents of the housing complex that was engulfed in Hong Kong’s deadliest blaze in seven decades were told by authorities last year that they faced “relatively low fire risks” after complaining repeatedly about fire hazards posed by ongoing renovation works, the city’s Labour Department said.
People living at Wang Fuk Court in northern Hong Kong had raised concerns over maintenance activity in September 2024, including about the potential flammability of the protective green mesh contractors had used to cover the bamboo scaffolding raised around the buildings, a department spokesperson said in an email.
The department subsequently reviewed safety certification for the mesh, which was used as a net for falling debris, and told residents the material’s “flame-retardant performance” met standards, said the agency, which helps enforce construction standards set by the Building Department.
