In a tragic incident in Hong Kong, the death toll of those who perished in the fire has risen to 83. Around 300 individuals are still unaccounted for. The conditions of those admitted in hospitals are critical, reflecting the severity of the disaster which unfolded. After struggling for a day to control the fire outbreak, the authorities are now investigating the case of the construction company for possible negligence.
The fire broke out in the Wang Fuk Court, a housing complex in the Tai Po area in the north. With 2000 houses spread across 8 blocks, around 4600 residents call this place their home. Unfortunately, 32 fatalities occurred in this particular building. Reports indicate that the building had an outdated fire safety system due to the use of substandard materials during construction, contributing to the tragedy.
The last fire incident in this complex happened more than 20 years ago. The authorities suspect that the use of insufficient resources during construction may have led to this disaster. Two directors along with an engineer are under investigation for their involvement in the negligence of proper safety measures.
Building safety standards are under scrutiny as initial reports suggest that the fire originated from substandard materials used in the construction. The use of inappropriate materials for renovation work also came under investigation. Instead of metal scaffolding, utilizing bamboo for construction projects is being reviewed as authorities aim for stricter safety regulations.
As an aftermath of accidents in buildings, metal scaffolding has been recommended as a safer alternative to bamboo scaffolding. This recommendation comes as a result of incidents where fires broke out due to the flammability of bamboo. The city’s development authority is considering a shift towards using metal poles instead of bamboo for building repairs to avoid future disasters.
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