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Ambrose Li

Hong Kong labour authorities had warned the contractor working on Wang Fuk Court’s renovation about a fire hazard just a week before the housing estate in Tai Po was engulfed in the city’s worst blaze in decades, the Post has learned.
In the aftermath of the devastating blaze that has so far claimed 83 lives, some residents said the fire alarms did not go off while an engineer warned that the flats destroyed in the inferno might not be habitable again.
In a reply to the Post’s queries, the Labour Department said on Thursday it had inspected Wang Fuk Court 16 time since July last year, and as recently as November 20.
The inspections included verifying whether the scaffolding nets met safety standards.
Less than a week ago, it reminded the contractor of the need to implement appropriate fire safety measures.
The department said there were unsafe conditions for working at height, for which three warnings were issued.
Ho Wing-ip, a veteran electrical and building services engineer, noted that many residents said they did not hear the fire alarms and questioned why the safety system was not functioning during a renovation project that posed clear fire hazards.
“If the system was not working, did they [the contractor] give the fire services a heads-up that renovation [work] on the system was under way, so that the department could make special arrangements in case of an emergency?” Ho asked.
The blaze first broke out at Wang Cheong House at 2.51pm on Wednesday and rapidly tore through the scaffolding surrounding the buildings, prompting the Fire Services Department to upgrade it successively to a No 3 alarm blaze at 3.02pm and No 4 at 3.34pm before escalating it to the maximum threat level No 5 at 6.22pm.
In addition to the dry conditions and strong winds, the flammable scaffolding nets and polystyrene foam boards covering the windows likely fuelled the flames.
Retiree Chan Kwong-tak, an 83-year-old resident of the estate, told the Post that the fire alarms did not go off, adding that there were no evacuation arrangements or instructions for residents in the building.
“If there were elderly fast asleep, they would have burned to death. We tried to alert those around us,” Chan said. “Of course, some of the workers [on site] smoked, but they should be careful, especially when welding.”
A former head of security at the housing estate, identified only by his surname Wong, said that he and other residents had seen workers smoking in public areas of the estate and even while working on the scaffolding.
“The worst thing is that the fire safety and alarm system was always turned off for the convenience of the workers going in and out of the building via the fire exits. The doors won’t be locked and the alarms won’t sound,” Wong said.

Engineer Ho also expressed concerns about the structural integrity of the buildings, particularly the rebar – steel rods with ridges used to reinforce concrete – which would be weakened when exposed to heat of about 550 to 600 degrees Celsius.
My intuition is that there is only a slim chance the buildings that burned throughout the night can be lived in again,” he said. “It’s highly likely that all the plasterwork, fittings, mechanical systems, and lifts are no longer functional, with only the bare shell remaining.”
According to Ho, it might ultimately cost less to rebuild than renovate, but such a decision went beyond engineering considerations, and would include questions such as where the residents would be housed and how insurance would be handled.
The 41-year-old Wang Fuk Court comprises eight blocks with more than 1,900 flats housing an estimated 4,000 residents.
The fire, which ripped through seven of the eight blocks, was brought under control as of 6pm on Thursday.
All the blocks were covered with bamboo scaffolding and mesh under an ongoing HK$330 million (US$44.4 million) renovation.


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Hong Kong’s Tai Po fire tragedy

Contractor was warned over risks a week before deadly fire hit Hong Kong estate

The inspections included verifying whether the scaffolding nets met safety standards. Photo: Sam Tsang

Rebar used to reinforce concrete would be weakened when exposed to heat of about 550 to 600 degrees Celsius.  Photo: Karma Lo

Hong Kong insurers liable for payouts of US$334 million related to deadly Tai Po fire

A fire at Wang Fuk Court in Tai Po has claimed 55 lives, while some 280 people are still missing. Photo: Eugene Lee

China Taiping is the insurance provider for Wang Fuk Court. Photo: Shutterstock

Should Hong Kong abandon bamboo scaffolding after Tai Po fire tragedy?

A firefighter shoots water at a  fire at Wang Fuk Court in Tai Po, Hong Kong, on November 26, 2025. All eight buildings on the estate had been covered in bamboo scaffolding amid ongoing renovation works. Photo: Eugene Lee

Bamboo scaffolding covers Fok Cheong Building in Quarry Bay on October 21, 2025. Photo: Robert Ng

Fire burns bamboo scaffolding across multiple buildings at Wang Fuk Court housing estate, in Tai Po, on November 26, 2025. Photo: Reuters

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Labour Department inspected Wang Fuk Court 16 times since July last year, and as recently as November 20


Labour Department inspected Wang Fuk Court 16 times since July last year, and as recently as November 20.


Contractor was warned over risks a week before deadly fire hit Hong Kong estate

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}Labour Department inspected Wang Fuk Court 16 times since July last year, and as recently as November 20

Labour Department inspected Wang Fuk Court 16 times since July last year, and as recently as November 20