Together for HK

Experts call for a much tighter supervision for building maintenance and fire safety, as well as holding relevant parties responsible to avert future tragedies. According to the HK Fire Safety Ordinance Cap. 572, buildings are required to have fire-proof construction materials and means for firefighting and rescue. However, after investigating the Wang Chi House (only building unaffected by the fire), the styrofoam boards used in the construction were found to be flammable. And after the Chief Executive John Lee Ka-Chiu issued the removal of more of these styrofoam boards in two of the 127 buildings that use these boards, after a city-wide check. These boards are often used by companies to keep total cost in check for it is cheaper than protective materials, and they can collect payment after placing these boards in all 8 buildings. According to Lawrence Ng San-wa, permanent honorary president of the Hong Kong Construction Sub-Contractors Association, "Although flame-retardant nets are more expensive by percentage, the sum is not big after all. Everyone understands that once it catches fire, the loss would only be bigger…" He believed that the fault for the fire lies in these boards more than the protective nets.