Hong Kong authorities are aggressively pursuing an urgent and multi-faceted investigation into the catastrophic No. 5-alarm fire that engulfed Wang Fuk Court in Tai Po on Wednesday, November 26, leaving over 100 residents dead or injured. Following the tragedy, senior government officials asserted on December 1 that the incident is being treated with the utmost priority, with forensic work, evidence collection, and formal probes from both the Fire Services Department (FSD) and anti-corruption agencies actively underway. The focus has rapidly narrowed to allegations of substandard construction materials, particularly non-compliant scaffolding nets, and potential collusion unearthed during the initial forensic sweeps.
Forensics Point to Substandard Materials
The FSD’s investigation unit has opened a formal inquiry, seizing numerous items of evidence and collecting material samples from 20 locations across the expansive Wang Fuk Court estate. Preliminary testing has highlighted significant concerns regarding the fire safety standards of materials used during recent maintenance work.
Specifically, Chief Secretary Eric Chan confirmed that among 20 scaffolding net samples taken from the affected towers—Wang Tai House, Wang Chi House, Wang Tao House, and Wang Yan House—seven specimens failed to meet crucial fire-retardant requirements. The samples, collected from upper, middle, and lower elevations, suggest widespread use of non-compliant netting. Security Secretary Chris Tang added that investigators suspect non-compliant materials were intentionally integrated into the construction project.
Further broadening the scope, an independent task force under the Housing Bureau has removed and sampled external wall maintenance materials for laboratory analysis. The bureau has also launched a comprehensive review to determine if similar potentially defective products were used in other major refurbishment projects across the city.
ICAC Uncovers Alleged Deception and Procurement Fraud
The Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) has dramatically escalated the legal consequences of the disaster, announcing the arrest of 12 individuals to date. ICAC Commissioner Woo Ying-ming detailed a suspected procurement scheme involving the use of cheap, low-grade materials.
Investigators theorize that following damage caused by Super Typhoon Ragasa in July, the parties involved—reportedly fearing the high cost of compliant materials—sourced replacement netting in bulk from a local supplier. They allegedly purchased 2,300 rolls of substandard, non-fire-retardant material at HK$54 per roll, enough to cover all eight residential towers.
Alarmingly, the ICAC probe further suggests that after a separate scaffold fire occurred in Central in late October, the suspected parties became fearful of sudden site inspections at Wang Fuk Court. To prepare for mandatory checks, they allegedly purchased an additional 115 rolls (approximately 3,700 square meters) of compliant, fire-retardant netting—costing HK$100 per roll—from the same supplier. This compliant stock was reportedly strategically installed only around the base of the scaffolds, effectively masking the presence of the far cheaper, dangerous netting covering the majority of the structure, thus enabling potential tests to be passed.
Beyond the Scene: Addressing Community and Political Fallout
While authorities focus intensely on material failure and corruption, the incident has also spurred peripheral actions. In a separate development, a Chinese University of Hong Kong student, Miles Kwan, was briefly arrested by the National Security Department on suspicion of incitement related to an online “four demands” page concerning the fire, but has since been released on bail pending further investigation.
The immediate priorities for government agencies include concluding the forensic identification of victims, determining the precise ignition source of the fire, and delivering justice concerning the alleged criminal negligence and corruption. The broader implications necessitate a swift review of city-wide regulatory enforcement, focusing on compliance checks during public housing maintenance and stricter penalties for suppliers and contractors who compromise public safety with substandard materials. This catastrophic event is expected to fundamentally reshape procurement protocols and mandatory fire safety standards in Hong Kong’s high-density housing estates.