HK fires
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Discussion

Hugo Stiglitz

Original Poster:

40,373 posts

232 months

Wednesday 26th November 2025
quotequote all
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/c2emg1kj1klt#playe...

What the fk. How? Is it arson frown

My wife has relatives in that area

RedWhiteMonkey

8,227 posts

203 months

Wednesday 26th November 2025
quotequote all
Wang Fuk Court.

Undergoing renovation work at the moment and covered in bamboo scaffolding, probably an unfortunate spark from works being carried out. Why would you immediately think arson?

Tragic and probably more casualities yet.

Hereward

4,816 posts

251 months

Wednesday 26th November 2025
quotequote all
Awful. I was thinking about this last week. I saw an article about how packed in the residents are; literally bunk beds stacked high. When you consider the number of electrical appliances being used, probably running extension leads off extension leads, then I am surprised it's not a more regular occurrence.

daqinggregg

5,335 posts

150 months

Wednesday 26th November 2025
quotequote all
Fortunately a very rare occurrence, but that’s a lot of people who have lost their homes.

This type of building is a relatively new building so it won’t be home to what is known as ‘cage homes’.

Appears as though the whole estate was undergoing some type of restoration, so the building would be covered in Bamboo scaffolding, as some type of netting, which may act as an accelerant.

Although it goes without saying, let’s hope the loss can be kept to a minimum.



rossub

5,444 posts

211 months

Wednesday 26th November 2025
quotequote all
RedWhiteMonkey said:
Why would you immediately think arson?
Multiple blocks of flats that appear to be separate from each other all on fire?

POIDH

2,595 posts

86 months

Wednesday 26th November 2025
quotequote all
Surely the death toll will rise.

chip*

1,560 posts

249 months

Wednesday 26th November 2025
quotequote all
daqinggregg said:
Fortunately a very rare occurrence, but that s a lot of people who have lost their homes.

This type of building is a relatively new building so it won t be home to what is known as cage homes .

Appears as though the whole estate was undergoing some type of restoration, so the building would be covered in Bamboo scaffolding, as some type of netting, which may act as an accelerant.

Although it goes without saying, let s hope the loss can be kept to a minimum.
Could be '000s of residents in those 3 towers.
Culturally, it's common for multi-generations to live under one-roof i.e. elder parents move in with their son/daughters as care home cost is beyond the reach of many.
Let's hope they all had time to get to safety.

Russ35

2,646 posts

260 months

Wednesday 26th November 2025
quotequote all
36 dead and 270+ missing

around 2000 units altogether in the complex

Slow.Patrol

3,708 posts

35 months

Wednesday 26th November 2025
quotequote all
I went to Hong Kong in 1992 and remember being amazed at the Bamboo scaffolding which went up the outside of tower blocks.

Apparently falling off was a regular thing and not a big concern.

Being under British rule, I'm surprised it was allowed..

p1stonhead

28,259 posts

188 months

Wednesday 26th November 2025
quotequote all
The size of these blocks it’s presumably jumped between! Awful.


Squadrone Rosso

3,521 posts

168 months

Wednesday 26th November 2025
quotequote all
Bamboo scaffolding.

chip*

1,560 posts

249 months

Wednesday 26th November 2025
quotequote all
Before I read the article below, my initial suspicion for cause was smoking / discarded cigarette too. Unlike the UK, smoking on the job is all too common!

https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/articl...





vaud

57,443 posts

176 months

Wednesday 26th November 2025
quotequote all
Squadrone Rosso said:
Bamboo scaffolding.
Indeed. On a 2 storey house - ok, kind of makes sense for speed and cost.

On something like this? “I know let’s clad the building in a highly combustible material - what could go wrong?”

RIP to the missing, hope this drives systemic change, or will we see news blackouts from the PRC leadership…

Russ35

2,646 posts

260 months

Wednesday 26th November 2025
quotequote all
latest figures seems to be 44 dead, another 70 traced so 200ish still missing. 7 of the 8 towers caught fire, 4 under control

Carl_VivaEspana

15,628 posts

283 months

Wednesday 26th November 2025
quotequote all
appalling tragedy unfolding here.

I assume on tall buildings bamboo is a choice because it bends in high wind and under tremors.


milesgiles

4,014 posts

50 months

Wednesday 26th November 2025
quotequote all
Carl_VivaEspana said:
appalling tragedy unfolding here.

I assume on tall buildings bamboo is a choice because it bends in high wind and under tremors.

Think it’s a red herring. Construction and fire safety isn’t likely to be anywhere near our standards whether there was scaffold or not

rodericb

8,396 posts

147 months

Wednesday 26th November 2025
quotequote all
vaud said:
Squadrone Rosso said:
Bamboo scaffolding.
Indeed. On a 2 storey house - ok, kind of makes sense for speed and cost.

On something like this? I know let s clad the building in a highly combustible material - what could go wrong?

RIP to the missing, hope this drives systemic change, or will we see news blackouts from the PRC leadership
Bamboo scaffolding is also covered with plastic netting/mesh. The buildings are reasonably old and aren't clad in possibly stty cladding.

daqinggregg

5,335 posts

150 months

Thursday 27th November 2025
quotequote all
chip* said:
daqinggregg said:
Fortunately a very rare occurrence, but that s a lot of people who have lost their homes.

This type of building is a relatively new building so it won t be home to what is known as cage homes .

Appears as though the whole estate was undergoing some type of restoration, so the building would be covered in Bamboo scaffolding, as some type of netting, which may act as an accelerant.

Although it goes without saying, let s hope the loss can be kept to a minimum.
Could be '000s of residents in those 3 towers.
Culturally, it's common for multi-generations to live under one-roof i.e. elder parents move in with their son/daughters as care home cost is beyond the reach of many.
Let's hope they all had time to get to safety.
Apologies, my post was misleading, many of the units in this type of building will have multi- generational occupancy.

These are not the same as ‘cage homes’, but you will have often have 3 generations, living in one home, of less than 500 Sq ft.


daqinggregg

5,335 posts

150 months

Thursday 27th November 2025
quotequote all
milesgiles said:
Think it s a red herring. Construction and fire safety isn t likely to be anywhere near our standards whether there was scaffold or not
This development was built in 1984, when Hong Kong was still under British rule.

Considering most of H.K. residential and commercial buildings are high rise, they’re probably better versed in high rise construction than we are..

This was a H.K. Housing Authority development, these, like all other high rise buildings are subject to very stringent regulations.

Instances of developers breaching the regulations are very rare, the punishments for doing so very severe.

The last major high rise building fire was 1996, so it is fortunately a very rare occurrence.

Mabbs9

1,519 posts

239 months

Thursday 27th November 2025
quotequote all
rodericb said:
vaud said:
Squadrone Rosso said:
Bamboo scaffolding.
Indeed. On a 2 storey house - ok, kind of makes sense for speed and cost.

On something like this? I know let s clad the building in a highly combustible material - what could go wrong?

RIP to the missing, hope this drives systemic change, or will we see news blackouts from the PRC leadership
Bamboo scaffolding is also covered with plastic netting/mesh. The buildings are reasonably old and aren't clad in possibly stty cladding.
I'm in HKG at the mo. The netting is very common. I'd be very surprised if it was fire retardant.