Hong Kong authorities have launched an urgent city-wide operation to remove all scaffolding safety nets from buildings undergoing renovation after investigators identified the material as a key factor in the catastrophic Wang Fuk Court fire that claimed 159 lives. The government mandate requires complete removal from both public and private residential buildings by Saturday, effectively halting renovation projects across the financial hub indefinitely.
The unprecedented safety directive follows what has become Hong Kong’s deadliest fire in decades, which engulfed seven high-rise apartment blocks on November 26. Forensic analysis indicates that substandard plastic mesh netting and insulation foam significantly accelerated the blaze, which burned for 40 hours. Additionally, malfunctioning fire alarm systems failed to provide adequate warning to residents.
Law enforcement agencies have taken 21 individuals into custody during their investigation, including 15 construction company employees suspected of manslaughter. Among those arrested are two directors and an engineering consultant from Prestige Construction, the primary contractor at the affected housing complex. Six additional arrests involved fire service installation contractors on suspicion of fraud.
The tragedy has exposed critical gaps in building safety oversight, despite residents having raised concerns about fire hazards during renovations the previous year. In response to mounting demands for accountability, City Leader John Lee has established a judge-led commission to investigate the disaster and review renovation oversight protocols.
Development Secretary Bernadette Linn confirmed that over 200 private buildings and more than 10 public housing structures must comply with the netting removal order, with contractors bearing all associated costs. The Building Department plans to implement a new safety code next week requiring on-site sampling of all scaffold net materials and laboratory certification before reinstallation.
Authorities are additionally investigating allegedly falsified safety documentation for netting supplied by a manufacturer based in Shandong, China, which was utilized at multiple renovation sites including one involving Prestige Construction.
The human toll continues to emerge, with 140 victims identified from the recovered bodies—91 females and 49 males ranging from one to 97 years old. Thirty-one individuals remain unaccounted for, including foreign domestic helpers from Indonesia and the Philippines. Approximately 2,900 displaced residents have been relocated to temporary accommodations, with 1,152 in hostels, camps, or hotels, and another 1,765 moved into transitional housing units.