HK media probe exposes Shandong-made mesh used at Wang Fuk Court that failed required flammability standards

HONG KONG: The Wang Fuk Court fire in Tai Po has resulted in 159 deaths, including one firefighter, and left 79 injured after burning for more than 43 hours.

Authorities are now scrutinising the catastrophe not only as an accident but as a potential man-made disaster demanding urgent accountability.

Government testing confirmed that all seven scaffold-net samples taken from Block 4 failed required flammability standards.

According to Hong Kong media reports, the protective mesh used on the exterior scaffolding ignited instantly when exposed to flames, accelerating the spread of the fire.

Forged certificates linked to Shandong supplier raise safety fears

Investigators from the Buildings Department and police traced the problematic mesh to Shandong Chenxu Chemical Fibre Rope Net Co., Ltd.

Reports by Hong Kong media stated that the company had claimed to possess official testing documentation, yet those certificates were not found on the relevant institutions’ official websites.

Public concern escalated when several housing estates displayed 2025 “compliant” certificates from the same manufacturer to reassure residents.

An investigation by Hong Kong media revealed that these certificates were forged, raising fears among estates undergoing renovation.

One key finding came from Beijing’s National Labour Protection Products Quality Testing Centre, which confirmed it had changed its name in 2019.

Any 2025 certificate using its previous title was therefore categorically fraudulent, according to media reports.

Two certificates displayed by Yee Kwok Court in Cheung Sha Wan, allegedly issued by testing bodies in Beijing and Binzhou, were also missing from official records.

A January 2025 document submitted for Fung Wah Estate used an identical template, indicating deliberate fabrication of safety paperwork.

Media reports added that Shandong Chenxu’s company phone had been unreachable for an extended period.

Contractors linked to the estates did not provide substantive answers when approached by journalists, with one reportedly ending a call abruptly when questioned.

The Labour Department, Housing Department and Buildings Department have launched investigations into the use of the substandard nets.

Officials stated that territory-wide test results for nets supplied by the Shandong manufacturer would be published within days.

Renovation contractor shuts down amid corruption probe

Separately, a firm serving as engineering consultant for major renovation works at Wang Fuk Court abruptly announced its closure a week after the blaze.

This followed the arrest of its two directors by the Independent Commission Against Corruption on 28 November 2025 for suspected corruption related to the project.

Eight residential towers at Wang Fuk Court had been under renovation since July 2024 and were covered in bamboo scaffolding and green mesh at the time of the fire.

Growing scrutiny of regulatory lapses and emergency response

Authorities disclosed that highly flammable polystyrene and substandard green mesh used during the works contributed significantly to the rapid spread of the blaze.

Dozens of residents were trapped as a result of the accelerated fire movement along the external scaffold structure.

Public pressure on authorities has continued to mount, with concerns directed at building-safety regulation, inspection lapses and the speed of the emergency response.

Several residents stated that fire-safety checks appeared to have ceased quietly once renovation work began.

Arrests over fire alarm system

On 3 December 2025, police confirmed six new arrests, in addition to the 15 earlier announced, bringing the total number of individuals detained in connection with the fire to 21.

Commissioner Chow said the six newly arrested men, aged 44 to 55, were subcontractors responsible for the estate’s fire alarm system.

The earlier group of 15 people—aged between 40 and 77—included representatives of main contractors, engineering firms and scaffolding companies involved in the renovation.

The investigation remains ongoing as authorities examine potential criminal liability, regulatory failures and the authenticity of renovation-related documentation across the territory.