Construction firms have started removing scaffold netting across Hong Kong to meet a three-day government deadline, after suspected false safety certificates for mesh were found at two building sites in the wake of the deadly Tai Po fire that has claimed at least 159 lives.
The green mesh, commonly draped over bamboo scaffolding erected at buildings under construction or renovation, came under heavy scrutiny after authorities found that contractors had installed cheaper, non-fire-resistant netting alongside approved materials to deceive inspectors at Wang Fuk Court, accelerating the spread of the fire last week.
The government on Wednesday ordered the removal of all 200 scaffold nets across the city after a Shandong-based scaffolding netting manufacturer was alleged by authorities to have falsified safety certificates for materials used in housing renovation projects in Chai Wan and Fortress Hill.
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On Thursday morning, workers were seen removing scaffolding mesh at a Kim Shin Lane development in Cheung Sha Wan, as well as at other places.
However, Tai On Building in Sai Wan Ho remained covered by scaffolding mesh in the morning. Residents there said they were concerned about potential fire risks following the Tai Po blaze, adding that the removal of the nets as required by the government would help eliminate the hazards.
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Jenny Cheung, in her sixties, who has lived in the building for about 30 years, said the renovation work cost each household more than HK$50,000 (US$6,425) in total, and she had already paid about HK$20,000.
She said removing the mesh would make her family feel safer despite the delays it was expected to cause in the renovation.