Residents’ Warnings Ignored Before Hong Kong’s Deadly Wang Fuk Court Fire

Residents of the Wang Fuk Court housing estate repeatedly warned officials that a government-ordered renovation used cheap, flammable materials and appeared beset by corruption before a fire on Nov. 26 that killed 161 people and displaced thousands. Records and interviews show complaints going back years about polystyrene window panels and green scaffolding netting, both later identified by officials as likely contributors to the blaze.

At least one resident burned a foam panel to show how easily it ignited. The repairs were ordered in 2016 under a citywide program for aging buildings. The program quickly became lucrative and susceptible to collusion, activists and past convictions have said, prompting the creation of a centralized tender platform run by the Urban Renewal Authority to curb abuse.

At Wang Fuk, residents allege proxy voting and other irregularities helped a low-fee consultant, Will Power Architects, win oversight of the project. The consultant endorsed Prestige Construction and Engineering as the contractor; documents show ties between Prestige and other bidders and identical bid prices that residents and anti‑graft activists say suggest collusion.

Residents raised concerns about substituted, cheaper materials and about workers smoking at the site. Government agencies performed inspections but issued mixed messages.

Key Topics

Business, World, Hong Kong, Building Safety, Corruption, Construction, Fire Safety