Construction mesh is to be removed from around 200 building sites in Hong Kong, amid a widening probe into the causes of last week’s disastrous Tai Po fire, which claimed 159 lives.
Authorities have given contractors until Saturday to remove the mesh, which is used to wrap structures under construction or renovation, as claims emerge that a mainland manufacturer falsified safety documentation for mesh being used in at least two major apartment renovation projects in Hong Kong.
Non-compliant mesh is thought to have contributed to the terrifyingly rapid spread of flames at the Tai Po blaze, which razed seven 31-storey buildings of the Wang Fuk Court housing development – all of them under renovation at the time. Highly flammable styrofoam window seals, used throughout the development, are also believed to have fueled the fire.
Hong Kong’s development secretary, Bernadette Linn Hon-ho, told media that new guidelines would be drawn up, requiring all mesh to be sampled on site and tested by approved labs.
[See more: Macao police warn against Tai Po fire donation scams]
There are reports that 7 out of 20 samples of mesh taken from the scene of the Tai Po fire did not meet fire safety standards.
Hong Kong’s number two official, Chief Secretary Eric Chan Kwok-ki, earlier said the construction company hired to carry out the renovations had used a mix of fire-resistant and non fire-resistant mesh. “Samples which failed the requirements were found in spots difficult to reach … to avoid detection by authorities,” he told media.
Meanwhile, authorities have now arrested six people from a company that provided fire alarms to Wang Fuk Court and accused them of falsely promising the Fire Services Department that the alarms would not be deactivated during the renovation process.
The failure of the fire alarm system during the blaze meant that many residents were not alerted to the danger of approaching flames. Residents reported being unaware of the fire until they were contacted by neighbours or noticed stairwells full of smoke.
