Hong Kong police have expanded their investigation into allegedly fake scaffolding net safety certificates to four more estates, following the earlier discovery of similar documents at two housing sites that prompted the citywide removal of mesh netting.
The force said on Monday evening that it had received reports of the allegedly fraudulent certificates at the six estates and that a probe was under way.
Apart from the two residential sites – Fung Wah Estate in Chai Wan and Fortress Garden in Fortress Hill – investigated by police last week, the force is also examining protective scaffolding nets at renovation projects in Baguio Villa in Pok Fu Lam, Yee Kok Court in Sham Shui Po, Ching Lai Court in Cheung Sha Wan and Marigold Mansion in Hung Hom.
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The cases have been classified as “requests for police assistance” and are being followed up by the regional crime unit of Hong Kong Island. No arrests have been made yet, according to police.
Scaffolding nets used at Fung Wah Estate and Fortress Garden were previously found to have come from the same Shandong manufacturer that supplied those used at Wang Fuk Court in Tai Po, where a deadly blaze last month killed at least 159 people.
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The nets were accompanied by what appeared to be safety certificates issued by mainland Chinese labs. But one of the labs said in a statement that the document bearing its name was fabricated.