Even as the devastating fire in Tai Po raged into the night, theories swirled around the possible causes of one of Hong Kong’s deadliest blazes in recent decades, with experts and residents suggesting that a combination of factors may have been involved.
Authorities vowed to investigate the cause of the deadly No 5 fire, classified as posing the highest threat level, which claimed at least 36 lives, including a firefighter, and left 29 hospitalised. Another 279 others remain missing.
Suspicion immediately fell on the fire resistance level of the scaffolding, the rapid spread of burning debris carried by the wind, and alleged irresponsible smoking by workers involved in the extensive renovations of the housing estate in Tai Po, which comprises eight 31-storey blocks.
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The inferno, which began in one of the blocks in midafternoon on Wednesday and spread to seven of the eight towers of Wang Fuk Court within a few hours, was still raging in the evening.
Scaffolding and netting had covered all of the blocks, which have been under massive renovations since July last year.
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Major fire in Hong Kong’s Tai Po leaves 2 severely burnt, residents trapped
Major fire in Hong Kong’s Tai Po leaves 2 severely burnt, residents trapped
Gary Au Gar-hoe, spokesman for the fire engineering division of the Hong Kong Institute of Engineers, explained to the Post that bamboo scaffolding could still catch fire even with a layer of fire retardant applied to its netting, while radiant heat from the inferno could cause neighbouring buildings to ignite as well.