Residents of Wang Fuk Court, the Hong Kong housing complex later engulfed in the city’s deadliest blaze in seven decades, were told by authorities last year they faced “relatively low fire risks” despite repeated complaints about renovation hazards.
In September 2024, they warned that the green mesh covering bamboo scaffolding could be highly flammable, the Labour Department said.
The department subsequently reviewed safety certification for the mesh and told residents the material’s “flame-retardant performance” met standards, said the agency, which helps enforce construction standards set by the Building Department.
The agency added that it had carried out 16 safety inspections at Wang Fuk Court between July 2024 and November 2025. The department issued six improvement notices to the contractor over its work at the complex and initiated three prosecutions, it said, without providing further specifics.
Hong Kong’s Grenfell?
The Wang Fuk Court fire spread within minutes, engulfing seven of eight towers in four hours. Hundreds were displaced, and nearly 300 residents remained missing by Thursday.
Police on Wednesday also said they had discovered foam at the complex that might have been responsible for the fast expansion of the fire.
Foam “burns quickly and produces thick, toxic smoke,” Chau Sze Kit, chairman of the Hong Kong Construction Industry Employees General Union, told Reuters.
The material can help prevent dust and glass damage to windows during construction, he said, but “did the management team and site supervisors consider this risk?”
Additional Fire-Safety Concerns
A Reuters review of the minutes of meetings held over the past year between homeowners with building management revealed additional fire-safety concerns.
Management told the homeowners’ committee in October 2025 that among the items needing repair or maintenance in the complex were fire water inlets, hose components such as fire nozzles, fire alarm bells, fire extinguishers and fire hose reels, as well as lighting fixtures with batteries.
Residents have also complained about contractors smoking around the scaffolding.
A former resident told the agency that he had complained about smoking incidents and sent management the video in February, but that they did nothing in response.
(With inputs from Reuters)
