Scaffolding, foam boards, flying embers: Theories mount as investigators dissect Hong Kong’s Tai Po inferno

Nevin Al Sukari - Sana'a - Firefighters spray water on flames as a major fire burns through several apartment blocks at the Wang Fuk Court residential estate in Hong Kong’s Tai Po district on November 27, 2025. The death toll from a high-rise fire in Hong Kong has risen to at least 44, officials said on November 27 as the blaze still smouldered and police said three suspects were arrested. — AFP pic

HONG KONG, Nov 27 — Investigators are examining several possible factors behind the rapid spread of the five-alarm blaze that tore through Wang Fuk Court in Tai Po, with scrutiny falling on the fire resistance of scaffolding, the use of highly flammable foam boards, wind-carried burning debris and alleged smoking by renovation workers.

Fire engineers told the South China Morning Post that the scale of the inferno suggested weaknesses in multiple areas, from the materials used on bamboo scaffolding to fire safety management at the extensive renovation works across the eight 31-storey blocks.

Flaming debris blown by the wind was also cited as a possible factor, while some residents said they had repeatedly seen workers smoking at the site, though the official cause remains undetermined.

The fire began on Wednesday afternoon on the lower levels of one of the towers before spreading upwards and into residential units, eventually engulfing seven of the estate’s eight buildings.

The blaze intensified rapidly and rose to a No 5 alarm in the evening.

Experts noted that while scaffolding netting is required to be coated with fire retardant, the coating can still ignite when exposed to strong heat and can burn through if flames are intense enough.

At the same time, authorities are probing what The Standard reported as the “unusual” presence of foam boards covering windows and exterior surfaces.

According to a notice issued last October by Prestige Construction and Engineering Company Limited, the contractor responsible for the exterior wall project, foam boards, canvas and wood panels were being used to shield windows and create work platforms during chiselling work.

Police said foam boards found on both affected and unaffected blocks were highly flammable and could have accelerated the fire’s spread.

Three staff members from the engineering company have been arrested on suspicion of manslaughter as investigators assess whether the materials complied with fire and building standards, and whether construction arrangements were lawful.

Fire Services Director Andy Yeung said firefighters encountered sealed ventilation windows in an unburnt block and warned that such foam materials could ignite easily once heated.

Secretary for Security Chris Tang described the burning behaviour of the protective netting, plastic sheeting and other exterior materials as abnormal, adding that a joint police–fire services task force is now focused on the two “unusual” situations involving the exterior coverings and foam boards.

The Fire Services Department has handed its findings to police and will coordinate with laboratory testing and expert analysis to determine how the materials behaved during the blaze.

Chief Executive John Lee said the investigation must be fully evidence-based, supported by technical analysis and laboratory results, with findings to be submitted to the Coroner’s Court.

He said the government would allocate necessary resources to ensure a thorough inquiry.