On the afternoon of November 28, the Hong Kong government held a press conference to provide updates on the situation and rescue efforts at the Tai Po Wang Fook Court fire. According to the latest official data, the fire has tragically claimed the lives of 128 individuals. The focus has turned to whether substandard scaffolding materials were used in the construction, with initial police tests indicating that the scaffolding material met fire-retardant standards but suggesting that the fire likely started at a lower-level scaffolding. Analysts pointed out that the premature dismissal of the scaffolding quality concerns by the authorities before a formal investigation could raise doubts among the public.
At the press conference, Security Secretary Tang Ping-keung revealed that the death toll from the five-alarm fire at Tai Po Wang Fook Court has risen to 128, with 39 individuals identified and 89 bodies yet to be positively identified. Authorities do not rule out the possibility of finding more bodies as the search continues. Approximately half of the bodies found so far were discovered within residential units.
Tang stated that during the fire incident, the police received 467 reports of missing persons, some of which were duplicate cases. Of these reports, 39 confirmed fatalities, 35 injured individuals hospitalized, and 110 accounted for as safe; approximately 200 individuals remain unaccounted for, including the 89 bodies yet to be identified.
The firefighters have completed extinguishing the blaze and rescue operations in the building and are now working to cool down the site. Once the Buildings Department inspects the structural safety, the police will commence gathering evidence, with the entire investigation expected to take 3 to 4 weeks.
Wang Fook Court was completed in 1983, featuring 8 towers with 248 units each. In this incident, 7 towers were affected, while the eighth tower, Hong Chi House, remained unscathed.
Following suspicions of corruption in the extensive maintenance project at Tai Po Wang Fook Court, the Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) has set up a special task force to conduct a comprehensive investigation. On the 28th, eight individuals, including project consultants, scaffolding subcontractors, and intermediaries, were arrested.
The arrested individuals, seven men and one woman, aged between 40 and 63 years old, include two directors from a consultancy firm involved in the maintenance project and two project managers overseeing the works. Additionally, three individuals are scaffolding subcontractors, including a married couple; and one person functions as an intermediary.
On the issue of the fire’s cause, Fire Services Department Chief Yeung Yan-kin mentioned that the fire alarms in the estate’s eight buildings were not functioning efficiently, with “the alarm being on but without sound.”
The bamboo scaffolding structure at Wang Fook Court has also come under scrutiny. Bamboo scaffolding, a historic feature of Hong Kong’s urban landscape for centuries, is being considered for replacement with metal scaffolding. However, former Observatory Director Lin Chao-ying raised doubts on social media, questioning why bamboo, a material less prone to ignition, was being targeted instead of flammable materials like plastic nets and foam, responsible for the fire’s rapid spread.
Concerns persist over whether the scaffolding materials used in the construction at Wang Fook Court had fire-retardant properties. Some building materials on the exterior walls were found to be more combustible and prone to spreading flames than compliant materials, categorizing them as an “unusual” situation. Construction industry figure and chairman of the Construction, Industry & Survey Committee, Bonnie Poon Cheuk‑wing previously alleged that the project did not utilize fire-retardant scaffolding materials, leading to the inferno, also singling out Fire Services Department Chief Yeung Yan-kin for not addressing the Scaffolding issue.
There are reports suggesting some units had suspicious activities, including the use of foam near windows.
Tang announced today that after preliminary examinations, the fencing used on the bamboo scaffolding in the building passed the fire-retardant standards. They believe the fire initially started at the lower levels due to the scaffolding catching fire, which then spread to other parts, igniting the foam boards on the windows and doors. The burning bamboo scaffolding debris further fueled the fire’s rapid spread to other floors.
Tang mentions that the preliminary tests on the scaffolding found it to be compliant with fire standards. Yet, after the incident, a resident of Belcher’s Bay in Southern District uploaded a video, claiming the fourth phase of their estate’s exterior maintenance by Construction Co. Hong Yip involved them conducting a burning test with a sample of removed orange scaffolding. In the footage, the resident ignited a piece of the scaffolding net which quickly caught fire and melted.
The resident expressed concerns over the contractors’ assurance that the material was “fireproof,” stressing that the test results raised worries about the project’s safety, describing the burning as resembling a “candle.”
During the blaze at Wang Fook Court in Hong Kong, all buildings were surrounded by scaffolding for maintenance. Last year, residents of the estate raised safety concerns about the scaffolding to the Labor Department, which had inspected maintenance works 16 times over the past year and issued written warnings to the contractors to implement proper fire prevention measures. When asked whether the fire was due to negligence or if any officials should be held accountable, Chief Executive Carrie Lam did not directly respond.
Prestige Construction & Engineering Limited, the contracting company involved, is a prominent maintenance contractor in Hong Kong that has won bids for various residential and commercial building maintenance projects. The company was established in 2004 and its current directors are Ho Wah-kin and Ho Kin-yip, with Ho Wah-kin as the sole shareholder and holding stakes in several other registered companies.
Earlier, circulated online were some engineering documents indicating that the protective netting used in the fire was manufactured by Shandong Nylon Net producer, with fire-retardant certification provided by Shandong Binzhou Lab (CNAS certification), replacing the traditional HOKLAS standards in Hong Kong, sparking questions about potential conflicts of interest. However, the authorities have not yet responded to these rumors.
Commentator Li Lin-yi stated that once Chinese investments are involved, it becomes a politically sensitive issue for the Hong Kong government. Prematurely ruling out the substandard scaffolding issue without waiting for the formal investigation results could lead to skepticism. The current police statements are based on preliminary tests, and it remains to be seen if there will be an independent and fair investigation.