A heartbreaking fire incident unfolded in Hong Kong as the Ap Lei Chau Estate in Tai Po erupted in flames on the afternoon of November 26th. The fire started at the Hon Cheung Court where the accumulated debris near the Yuen Chau Tsai Park by the sea caught fire, burning fiercely without any warning bells. Eyewitnesses reported that within a mere six minutes, the flames had spread to multiple floors and rapidly engulfed the seven-story building. Fire tongues shot out of the units, with reports of explosions echoing through the air. This five-alarm fire has resulted in 128 casualties, 83 injuries, and 150 individuals missing.
This century’s disaster has drawn unanimous conclusions from many veteran commentators – human factors played a significant role, far beyond a mere act of nature.
Amidst the confusion and controversies engulfing the people of Hong Kong, two primary issues have emerged: whether the bamboo scaffolding or safety net was to blame, and if the government’s quick claim of flame-retardant compliance for the scaffolding was accurate.
Furthermore, the absence of opposition parties and in-depth investigative reporting by the Hong Kong media raises concerns about the unknown dangers the people of Hong Kong may face. In the “Confession of a Hong Kong Firefighter,” a scathing indictment is delivered, citing “greed, indifference, and regulatory dereliction leading to a hellish outcome for the populace.”
The Hong Kong government is contemplating replacing bamboo scaffolding with metal ones. However, former Director of the Observatory, Lin Chao-ying, raised doubts on social media, questioning why the flammable safety nets and foam were not taken to task, instead of the relatively less combustible bamboo. The wife of actor Donnie Yen, Wang Xixi, echoed this sentiment, with many netizens filming evidence to support this view. Consideration must also be given to who stands to benefit from the use of metal scaffolding.
With maintenance budgets running into billions, each owner is required to fork out between HK$100,000 to HK$200,000, and towering skyscrapers dotting the Hong Kong skyline, the numbers paint a grim picture of the cost breakdown.
To be frank, if scaffolding were indeed as prone to spreading fires as claimed, many buildings would have met similar fates long ago. The author has witnessed the fire-resistant nature of bamboo scaffolding firsthand. Failure to take decisive corrective measures in the aftermath of this significant incident may leave Hong Kong residents emotionally scarred.
While certain party-affiliated media outlets allege a hidden agenda behind the scaffolding, based on live observations by former Hong Kong Journalists Association chairperson Chen Lang-sheng, the maintenance safety nets played a crucial role in propagation of the fire. Additionally, analysis points to a swift and intense escalation of the fire, reaching the second floor rapidly, with other buildings ablaze by 5 pm, resembling a “chain reaction inferno.”
However, just two days since the fire broke out, preliminary police investigations have declared the scaffolding meets flame-retardant standards, suggesting the initial fire originated from the lower-level safety net. Critics argue that the haste in ruling out non-compliance issues with the safety net before the official investigation’s conclusion may invite skepticism.
Internet sleuths have revealed that the “flammable” protective nets at the site were manufactured by a company from Shandong, with the legal representative named Zhang Shanshan. Zhang Shanshan gained prominence in the nucleic acid industry in the past. It remains uncertain whether these two individuals are the same.
Rumors circulate about a notice reportedly posted by the construction company at the Ap Lei Chau Estate prior to the incident, showing the outer protective nets were supplied by a company named Shandong Chenxu Chemical Fiber Rope Co., Ltd. The product quality report was also issued by the Shandong Binzhou Testing Center.
Shandong Chenxu is registered in the village of Li Zhuang in south-north Li Cun, Huimin County, Binzhou City, with Zhang Shanshan listed as the legal representative. Business records indicate dozens of rope companies registered in the same village. The staffing count for Zhang Shanshan’s Shandong Chenxu is marked as “0,” hinting it may be an empty shell corporation.
These revelations cast doubts on potential infiltration of red capital from the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) in the Hong Kong Ap Lei Chau fire. During the CCP’s three-year “control and prevention” period, a Zhang Shanshan reportedly profited significantly from nucleic acid testing endorsed by authorities. This individual purportedly maintains close ties with senior CCP officials.
In an interview with “Zhen Talk,” Chen Lang-sheng notes that media outlets like Chanel C previously conducted numerous investigations into violations, ensuring public safety. However, these outlets, along with other Hong Kong media such as Stand News, have now disappeared, leaving no one to prophylactically prevent such tragedies.
The calamitous outcomes of a one-party system are glaringly evident in the response to this fire incident. Despite independent experts like Pan Chaohong highlighting maintenance issues at Ap Lei Chau, their warnings were repeatedly disregarded.
Lack of comprehensive reporting across traditional and social media outlets has hindered widespread dissemination of information, leaving significant gaps in knowledge about the massive maintenance lapses.
In a puzzling turn of events, current affairs commentator Pan Chaohong revealed in “Zhen Talk” that Ap Lei Chau was heavily guarded before the incident, making it challenging for outsiders to access the site, sparking speculations of organized crime involvement in the area.
Eight buildings undergoing maintenance simultaneously? All alarms malfunctioning simultaneously? Why were Shenzhen fire trucks so efficiently prepared to head south?
During “Zhen Talk,” Lau Sai-leung highlighted the overt politicization and mainlandization of the entire handling process, including press conference arrangements, keynote speakers, and dissemination protocols. While Hong Kong’s past focus during emergencies was on rescuing individuals, with politics taking a back seat, the situation has now shifted to prioritize political optics.