After deadly Hong Kong fire, can new tech protect China’s high-rises from tragedy?
Drones and ultra-tall ladder trucks hold promise, but prevention is still best for avoiding repeat of Wang Fuk Court blaze, experts say
Since 2000, mainland China has built almost 1,600 skyscrapers – 60 per cent of the global total – eclipsing the early 20th century high-rise boom in the United States.
To address firefighting challenges in dense urban landscapes, researchers and firefighters in mainland China have been developing and adopting new technologies designed to withstand high temperatures, locate fires and reach upper floors.
Still, fire safety engineers and combustion scientists stressed that prevention was crucial, noting that the Hong Kong fire exceeded the scope of both human intervention and existing technology.
They also pointed to the physical limitations of using large fire trucks in the city’s cramped streets.
