Hong Kong - Major fire engulf several high-rise buildings, at least 13 deaths, 26 November 2025

[MelmothTheLost]

What was the green netting for?

It's to stop things falling off during the work and injuring passers by.

 

[VioletLilac]

It's to stop things falling off during the work and injuring passers by.

Thanks

 

[iamshadow21]

Thanks

I think it's also something of a windbreak, making it safer for the workers.

 

[Dotta]

But this photo was taken in 2024???



What kind od work is it
that is lasting nearly 2 years
(2025 is nearly finished)
with residents kept being trapped with no daylight???

Jeez!!!

SMH in sheer horror.

JMO

 

[VioletLilac]

I think it's also something of a windbreak, making it safer for the workers.

Good point

 

[Via Marple]

From Sky News on the ground:

357K views · 8.8K reactions | Authorities said nearly 300 people are also missing following the blaze at Wang Fuk Court in Tai Po - a suburban district with around 300,000 residents near the border with mainland China. Sky's Asia correspondent Helen

Authorities said nearly 300 people are also missing following the blaze at Wang Fuk Court in Tai Po - a suburban district with around 300,000 residents near the border with mainland China. Sky's...

www.facebook.com

They also present the people's voice and not just regurgitate the authorities' narrative of what happened .

 

[Rikissa]

On Sunday 30 November the death toll after the fire was 146, and the search for more victims continues.

Hong Kong mourns as apartment fire death toll rises to 146

Rescue teams find more bodies in burnt-out buildings of Wang Fuk Court complex after Wednesday’s fire

www.theguardian.com

 

[MelmothTheLost]

But this photo was taken in 2024???



What kind od work is it
that is lasting nearly 2 years
(2025 is nearly finished)
with residents kept being trapped with no daylight???

The netting I have seen used in the UK does seem to be sufficiently loosely woven to allow a fair amount of daylight through, though behind it is likely to be quite shaded - a sort of green twilight perhaps.

It appears that this stuff is not necessarily fire resistant. Looking at some UK suppliers of construction materials, much of it is not fire resistant but some of it is.

TS62 Debris Netting - 2m x 50m Green

I don't know anything about UK requirements for buildings under construction, but it's possible that netting used on buildings which are occupied while work goes on has to be fire retardant and that the requirements are less stringent where buildings are empty during renovations. Needless to say, we don't have to contend with flammable bamboo scaffolding here.

It wouldn't surprise me if corners were cut with materials used on the tower blocks in Hong Kong.

 

[Via Marple]

The netting I have seen used in the UK does seem to be sufficiently loosely woven to allow a fair amount of daylight through, though behind it is likely to be quite shaded - a sort of green twilight perhaps.

It appears that this stuff is not necessarily fire resistant. Looking at some UK suppliers of construction materials, much of it is not fire resistant but some of it is.

TS62 Debris Netting - 2m x 50m Green

I don't know anything about UK requirements for buildings under construction, but it's possible that netting used on buildings which are occupied while work goes on has to be fire retardant and that the requirements are less stringent where buildings are empty during renovations. Needless to say, we don't have to contend with flammable bamboo scaffolding here.

It wouldn't surprise me if corners were cut with materials used on the tower blocks in Hong Kong.

Natural materials can be combustible, but man-made plastic is highly flammable unless treated with some kind of retardant.

Be wary of some trying to twist the narrative of a tragic event. Choose who you trust, wisely.

MOO

 

[iamshadow21]

Natural materials can be combustible, but man-made plastic is highly flammable unless treated with some kind of retardant.

Be wary of some trying to twist the narrative of a tragic event. Choose who you trust, wisely.

MOO

And this stuff wasn't even that. It wasn't up to code.

Netting on apartment complex did not meet fire resistance code, Hong Kong officials say

Hong Kong's anti-corruption agency has arrested 13 people, including the directors and an engineering consultant of a construction company.

www.abc.net.au

Hong Kong's grief meets Beijing's red lines

The blaze that consumed Wang Fuk Court burned for two days, but its political shock waves may echo for weeks, even months.

www.abc.net.au

 

[Via Marple]

And this stuff wasn't even that. It wasn't up to code.

Netting on apartment complex did not meet fire resistance code, Hong Kong officials say

Hong Kong's anti-corruption agency has arrested 13 people, including the directors and an engineering consultant of a construction company.

www.abc.net.au

Hong Kong's grief meets Beijing's red lines

The blaze that consumed Wang Fuk Court burned for two days, but its political shock waves may echo for weeks, even months.

www.abc.net.au

Yes the authorities have now changed the narrative about the cause of fire. But IMO they have simply found another scapegoat - some replacement netting after an earlier typhoon. Meaning the original netting was still up to standard.. and untouchable in political terms. But at least the focus is no longer on the bamboo.

The second link is quite spot on. Maybe the Chinese ambassador will now come out and condemn the ABC for sedition

 

[DS2021]

Hong Kong fire death toll climbs to 159, including a 1-year-old baby

The youngest person who died in the fire was a 1-year-old infant, police said. The oldest was 97.

www.cbsnews.com

159 dead, roughly 30 missing

 

[Herat]

Hong Kong fire death toll climbs to 159, including a 1-year-old baby

The youngest person who died in the fire was a 1-year-old infant, police said. The oldest was 97.

www.cbsnews.com

159 dead, roughly 30 missing

A small glimmer of better news. I was worried the 300 missing would all turn out to be fatalities.

 

[iamshadow21]

Hong Kong fire killed 168 people in total, authorities confirm

The final death toll is seven higher than previously reported and comes months after the fire tore through the apartment complex.

www.abc.net.au

 

[Via Marple]

Here is a summary of the still ongoing inquiry on the fire, published on 12 April.

So far no organisation, business or government, has admitted any wrongdoing. Even though it is well accepted that the fire was due to human errors and not a natural disaster or accident.

The complete list of names in the final 168 death toll have not been disclosed to the public either.

Tai Po fire inquiry: Key findings from first 10 days of Wang Fuk Court hearings

Testimony from residents and employees of firms responsible for fire safety and building management has painted a picture of residents’ complaints falling on deaf ears, as well as potential negligence of the companies engaged at Wang Fuk Court.

hongkongfp.com

Other reports from HKFP, an independent English language media organisation based in Hong Kong:

Wang Fuk Court fire: Latest on deadly Tai Po blaze

Latest on the deadly blaze which engulfed seven residential towers at Wan Fuk Court in Tai Po on November 26, 2025.

hongkongfp.com