Officials Warned for Over a Year Before Hong Kong Fire

Background

In the months leading up to the tragic blaze at Wang Fuk Court, dozens of residents repeatedly voiced alarm over the safety of their building. They highlighted two specific hazards: highly flammable foam panels installed on interior walls and the extensive use of scaffold netting on the exterior.

Residents’ Appeals

Tenants organized petitions, wrote letters to the Housing Department, and even held informal meetings with local councilors. One resident recalled, “We saw the foam panels catching fire in a nearby block. We begged the authorities to inspect our building, but nothing happened.”

Government Response

Despite the mounting complaints, officials maintained that the building complied with existing regulations. Internal memos later revealed that the department had been aware of the concerns for more than a year but deemed the issues “low priority.”

The Fire

On the night of June 12, 2025, a spark ignited the foam panels, causing the fire to spread rapidly through the complex. The scaffold netting, intended as a safety measure, turned into a conduit for flames, accelerating the disaster.

Aftermath and Investigation

Following the tragedy, an independent inquiry was launched. Preliminary findings indicate that the failure to act on the residents’ warnings was a critical factor in the scale of the devastation. The report recommends:

• Immediate reassessment of fire‑resistant materials in all public housing estates.
• Mandatory inspection of scaffold installations for fire safety compliance.
• Establishment of a transparent reporting system for resident safety concerns.

Public Reaction

Community groups have called for accountability, with many demanding that senior officials resign. As one activist put it, “We cannot allow bureaucratic inertia to cost more lives.”