[arista]

https://news.sky.com/story/four-peop...-kong-13475573


Sad so many dead
from the fire

[Livia]

Dreadful and terrifying...

[Nicky91]

yes 3 suspects arrested, ages between 52 and 68

[arista]

Originally Posted by Livia

Dreadful and terrifying...

Outside some windows, Bamboo structures
caught Fire FAST


I would Ban Bamboo hanging on windows etc

[arista]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cvg165d7ppvo


[At least 65 dead and hundreds missing
after fire engulfs Hong Kong tower blocks]

[arista]

BBC

[Some residents remain trapped inside
the buildings, with more than 270 people unaccounted for,
while 70 people are injured.
Hundreds of firefighters have been tackling the blaze,
which is now largely under control at all
of the affected buildings at Wang Fuk Court.

The housing complex had been undergoing
extensive renovations when the fire began.

The exact cause is unclear but police say materials
on outside of the buildings may have facilitated its spread.
Three construction company executives have
been arrested on suspicion of manslaughter and
gross negligence.]

[arista]

Originally Posted by Nicky91

yes 3 suspects arrested, ages between 52 and 68

Yes CEO's
cutting corners

using mash paper

[arista]

It is getting worse

Sky News just said around 300 are missing



Also from the Guardian:

[The death tolls from the blaze,
which tore apart seven of the eight
high-rise apartment buildings in
Wang Fuk Court, a residential compound home
to 4,800 people, has risen to 75.

Hundreds of people are still missing.

But as firefighters work to bring the
fire under control and make progress with
rescue efforts, anger is already swelling
among Hongkongers about the causes of the fire.]

[emseateng2014]

still can not believe that its 6 apartment buildings

i thought it was just 1 big apartment building

[arista]

Originally Posted by emseateng2014

still can not believe that its 6 apartment buildings

i thought it was just 1 big apartment building

Yes Sadly
All the Blocks had Bamboo Frames
So it interconnected the Flames,
windows exploded letting the fire inside.


Crazy to allow Bamboo
and also they used paper mash
in some walls - the Fire Loved That



Many more arrests now

[arista]

Even Worse

Many of the Fire Alarms Failed to work...


Ch4 News Reporter saying more deaths are on the way........

[emseateng2014]

Originally Posted by arista

Yes Sadly
All the Blocks had Bamboo Frames
So it interconnected the Flames,
windows exploded letting the fire inside.


Crazy to allow Bamboo
and also they used paper mash
in some walls - the Fire Loved That



Many more arrests now

ya hong kong are known for building constructions with bamboo sticks

and ya i think the building constructions styles are somewhat different from most western countries

[emseateng2014]

Originally Posted by arista

Even Worse

Many of the Fire Alarms Failed to work...


Ch4 News Reporter saying more deaths are on the way........

well at least its not like in the chinese martial arts movies where the characters can like shoot out winds out of there hands to take out the fire and or break threw doors and walls with there finger taps punches and kicks even heads to escape the fire

[Crimson Dynamo]

Finn Lau 劉祖廸
@Finnlau_cd
UK chartered surveyor. Hong Kong-born policy advocate. Advisor
@hk_watch
. China observer. Campaigner. Alumni
@UCL
.

I don’t often speak in my professional capacity as a Hong Kong–born, UK-chartered construction professional (MRICS, MAPM, NECReg, among others). But I need to address inaccurate reporting about bamboo scaffolding in the Hong Kong Tai Po fire.

HK is my homeland - renowned for its skyscraper skyline and the traditional craft of bamboo scaffolding. Over its 185+ year history, bamboo has been widely used in HK construction for its flexibility, ductility, lightness and its FIRE RESISTANCE.

Contrary to public misconception, the physical structure of bamboo itself makes it a flame-resistant material. Rather, it is the corrupt practice of using non-compliant and flammable mesh netting that is the likely cause of the fire’s rapid spread.

Those mesh materials can accelerate vertical and lateral fire spread (from lower floors to higher floors, and between blocks). This is primarily evidenced by photos showing the structural integrity of bamboo after a 2-day sustained fire.

More broadly, to facilitate the absorption of HK into the PRC, the HK gov has been keen on dismantling Hong Kong unique culture - bamboo craft, neon signage, historic buildings and languages to name a few, alongside ongoing crackdown on judiciary system and free speech.

Instead of launching an independent investigation immediately (as the UK did after the Grenfell Tower fire), the HK gov announced on the following day it would accelerate the switch to (Chinese-imported) metal scaffolding without first completing a full investigation.

It also ignored reporting and prior whistleblowing about the widespread use of non-compliant, flammable mesh nets on HK construction sites in the previous year, as well as brushing off potential legal negligence of senior HK gov officials on the 2024 whistleblowing.

I understand it can sometimes be hard to get a full picture while reporting fast-moving incidents. Still, I urge journalists to correct inaccuracies when they arise. Reinforcing misconceptions about bamboo craftsmanship only supports a misleading official narrative.



https://x.com/finnlau_cd/status/1994...815857653?s=20