In the aftermath of the deadly Tai Po blaze, the Buildings Department has ordered the temporary suspension of 30 construction projects – most are managed by the firm responsible for renovation work at the fire site.
The government announced on Saturday that it had invoked the Buildings Ordinance to require 28 private building projects listing Prestige Construction & Engineering Company Limited as the registered contractor to be immediately suspended, citing “a lack of confidence in its ability to ensure site safety.”
The firm oversaw the large-scale renovation project at Wang Fuk Court, where a fatal blaze erupted on Wednesday afternoon and engulfed the housing estate for nearly two days, killing at least 128 people.
The statement also said the fire exposed “serious deficiencies” in the company’s site safety management, including the extensive use of foam boards to block windows during building repairs.
Security chief Chris Tang told a press conference on Friday that the “highly flammable” styrofoam boards could have accelerated the rapid spread of the fire.
See also: Explainer: How Hong Kong’s history of deadly fires shaped housing policy and triggered reform
According to the Buildings Department, 11 of the suspended projects under Prestige Construction involve repairs of private buildings, while the remaining 17 involve additions and alteration works.
The authorities also ordered two other building maintenance projects to be halted after their inspections found that windows were covered by plastic sheeting. The projects are located at Fortress Garden in North Point and the China Travel Building in Central.
Yuen Fat Construction Engineering Limited is the registered contractor for the work at Fortress Garden, which names Prestige Construction & Engineering as the project manager. The maintenance work at the China Travel Building was carried out by Fulam Construction Engineering Company Limited.
According to the statement, contractors responsible for suspended projects are required to conduct an independent safety audit and submit an improvement plan to the authorities. They must implement the improvement measures before the Buildings Department will consider allowing the works to be resumed.
“The temporary suspension of works is to better safeguard the safety of both workers and users. As for the impact on the progress of the relevant projects, it will depend on whether the contractors can promptly implement a site safety plan that the [Buildings Department] will accept,” the statement read.
Two directors and an engineering consultant from Prestige Construction & Engineering were arrested by police on suspicion of manslaughter on Thursday. They were released on police bail pending investigation on Friday, but were later arrested again by the Independent Commission Against Corruption in relation to a corruption probe into the deadly incident.
The anti-graft agency also arrested eight others on Friday, including two directors of a construction consulting firm and three bamboo scaffolding subcontractors, as part of the same investigation.
Meanwhile, a man was arrested for alleged sedition on Saturday in relation to the blaze.
