Hong Kong fire: what part of the responsibility lies with the bamboo scaffolding?

Hong Kong is one of the last cities in the world to still use this material in modern construction or renovation projects. This material has been used for several centuries in Asia, is readily available in southern China, and can be transported at a lower cost.

Bamboo scaffolding is versatile and durable, and can be erected and dismantled in confined spaces. Industry representatives estimated in January that it accounted for approximately 80% of the structures in Hong Kong.

The eight towers of Wang Fuk Court's residence, each 31 stories high, which have been undergoing major renovations since last year, were covered with bamboo trellises and protective netting.

The Hong Kong government indicated on Friday that falling pieces of burning bamboo had contributed to the spread of the flames. The previous day, it had deemed it "imperative to accelerate" the transition to metal scaffolding for safety reasons.

But the possible factors are numerous, some specialists note.

40 hours of fire

"It's a complex, multifaceted issue," Anwar Orabi, a civil engineer specializing in fire safety at the University of Queensland in Australia, told AFP. He added, "A clear answer is premature at this stage."

"The bamboo, or rather the whole scaffolding, was on fire," he adds, "it's not the only factor (...) but it's very likely a contributing element."

Initial findings suggest the fire started on a protective net on the lower floors of one of the buildings, before quickly spreading up through "highly flammable" foam boards, Hong Kong Security Minister Chris Tang said Friday.

These foam boards were attached to the windows, causing them to shatter and allowing the fire to "intensify and spread inside," he added.

The intense heat ignited the bamboo, burning pieces of which broke and fell, allowing the fire to spread.

Bamboo has some fire resistance. But the fire at the Wang Fuk complex lasted 40 hours.

"You can see that there is only a very small portion of bamboo left" on the second tower, points out Ho Wing-ip, professor of engineering at Hong Kong Polytechnic University, "if it had been metal scaffolding, I think the bulk of it would still be there."

Scapegoat

But for him, the foam boards seem to be the main reason for the speed at which the flames engulfed the entire building. Furthermore, if the eight towers had been renovated one by one and not simultaneously, "I don't think the fire would have spread so much," he adds.

Lee Kwong-sing, president of the Institute of Safety Professionals, questioned the safety nets, noting that they are necessary "even if you use metal scaffolding".

During a radio broadcast, Chau Sze-kit, head of a building companies association, remarked that "as long as (...) the rules are followed to the letter, both (materials) are relatively safe".

On social media, Hong Kong residents have strongly defended the use of bamboo, making it a symbol of Hong Kong's identity.

Noting that large portions appear intact, despite the duration and intensity of the fire, they accuse the government of seeking a scapegoat and denounce an anti-Asian bias among those who criticize this tradition, particularly the Western media.

"To make bamboo scaffolding the main explanation for the fire (...) is essentially to blame what is foreign and exotic," argues Leung Kai-chi, a researcher in Hong Kong studies, in a post on the social network Threads.

In a statement, an association of victims of industrial accidents recalled that three fires, linked to scaffolding, had previously been recorded this year in Hong Kong.