A deadly fire in a Hong Kong apartment complex may have spread rapidly due to bamboo scaffolding, a traditional construction material that authorities have been phasing out for safety reasons. The blaze tore through the Wang Fuk Court residential complex in Tai Po on Wednesday, killing dozens in the city's deadliest fire in decades.
The complex consists of eight 31-storey towers containing about 2,000 flats housing approximately 4,800 people. Police have said that bamboo scaffolding and green construction mesh may have helped the fire spread quickly across the apartments, though the exact cause remains unknown.
Hong Kong is one of the last places in the world where bamboo is widely used for construction. The intricate lattices of poles bound together by zip ties are a common sight around skyscrapers. Bamboo is valued for being lighter and cheaper than metal alternatives, and its use is considered an art form dating back 2,000 years to Han dynasty scroll paintings.
In March, the government announced plans to phase out bamboo in favour of fire-resistant steel due to safety concerns, requiring 50% of public construction works to use metal frames. Metal also withstands Hong Kong's humid weather better than bamboo. Official figures show that industrial accidents involving bamboo scaffolds have killed 23 people since 2018.
However, the Hong Kong and Kowloon Bamboo Scaffolding Workers Union has opposed the retirement of bamboo. The natural variation in pole size and shape requires skilled bamboo masters to bind them together, and workers fear their livelihoods may be at risk if Hong Kong transitions to steel frames.
