Hong Kong officials say mesh on apartments failed fire safety standards as death toll rises

Officials have also said that fire alarms were not working properly, as questions swirl over whether the inferno was preventable.

At least 151 people have died in the fires, with dozens more still missing. Source: Getty / Isaac Lawrence

Some of the exterior netting used on scaffolding at a Hong Kong residential complex did not meet fire-resistance standards, officials said Monday, after a destructive blaze there killed at least 151 people.

Tests on several samples of a green mesh that was wrapped around bamboo scaffolding on the buildings at the time of the blaze did not match fire retardant standards, officials overseeing the investigations told a news conference.

Contractors working on the renovations used these substandard materials in hard-to-reach areas, effectively hiding them from inspectors, said Hong Kong's chief secretary for administration, Eric Chan.

Foam insulation used by contractors also fanned the flames and fire alarms at the complex were not working properly, officials have said.

Arrests for suspected manslaughter

Police spokeswoman Tsang Shuk-yin told a news conference on Monday afternoon (local time) that the confirmed death toll had climbed from 146 to 151.

Dozens of people are still missing.

Authorities said they had detained 13 people for suspected manslaughter in a probe into the fire, pointing to substandard renovation materials for fuelling the blaze.

Police have completed sweeps of four of the seven towers engulfed in Wednesday's disaster at the Wang Fuk Court estate, finding bodies of residents in stairwells and on rooftops, trapped as they tried to flee the flames.

Thousands attend vigils

Thousands have turned out to pay tribute to the victims, who include at least nine domestic helpers from Indonesia and one from the Philippines, with lines of mourners stretching more than a kilometre along a canal next to the estate.

Vigils are also due to take place this week in Tokyo, London and Taipei, authorities said.

Amid pockets of public anger over missed fire risk warnings and evidence of unsafe construction practices, Beijing has warned it would crack down on any "anti-China" protests.

Firefighters worked through the night to bring the blaze under control after it erupted on Wednesday afternoon. Source: AP / Chan Long Hei

At least one person involved in a petition calling for an independent probe among other demands was detained for around two days, sources familiar with the matter said.

Police have declined to comment on specifics, saying only that they will take action in accordance with the law.

Search may continue for weeks

The remaining buildings to be scoured for remains are "the difficult ones", Amy Lam, a senior police official, told reporters on Sunday, adding that the final leg of the search may take weeks.

Images shared by police showed officers clad in hazmat suits, face masks and helmets, inspecting rooms with blackened walls and furniture reduced to ashes, and wading through water used to douse fires that raged for days.

Throngs of officers arrived at the site early on Monday morning to continue their search of the burnt-out buildings.

Hundreds of people have been moved from evacuation shelters to temporary accommodation. Source: SIPA USA / Vernon Yuen

The apartment blocks were home to more than 4,000 people, according to census data, and those that escaped must now try to get their lives back on track.

More than 1,100 people have been moved out of evacuation centres into temporary housing, with a further 680 put up in youth hostels and hotels, authorities said.

With many residents leaving behind belongings as they fled, authorities have offered emergency funds of HK$10,000 (AU$1980) to each household and provided special assistance for issuing new identity cards, passports and marriage certificates.

Residents had expressed safety concerns

Residents of Wang Fuk Court were told by authorities last year they faced "relatively low fire risks" after complaining about fire hazards posed by the renovations, the city's Labour Department said.

The residents raised concerns in September, 2024, including about the potential flammability of the mesh contractors used to cover the scaffolding, a department spokesperson said.

The fire is Hong Kong's deadliest in decades. Source: AAP / Nexpher Images/Sipa USA/Vernon Yuen

Jane Poon, a former Hong Kong resident who now lives in Australia, told SBS Cantonese last week that people from her community regularly passed by the Wang Fuk Court housing complex.

"Watching the estate like this is heartbreaking, and we're incredibly worried for the residents. Here in Australia, we feel helpless and anxious," she said.

"Everyone is asking how this could happen in such a developed society. A construction site should have rigorous fire safety protocols."

She called for accountability, and said she and her community would continue to closely monitor developments.

"I know all Hong Kongers, both here and abroad, are deeply anxious."

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