Authorities are investigating six housing estates over suspected use of fraudulent safety documentation for construction nets, following the discovery that non-compliant nets were mixed with certified ones at Wang Fuk Court in Tai Po, the site of a recent No. 5 alarm fire.
The case has raised widespread concern among residents and owners undergoing building repairs about the quality of safety nets used on scaffolding. Police said they are investigating six separate cases filed as "request for police investigation" involving Baguio Villa in Western district, Fung Wah Estate in Chai Wan, Fortress Garden in North Point, Yee Kok Court in Sham Shui Po, Ching Lai Court in Cheung Sha Wan, and Marigold Mansions in Hung Hom. The cases are being handled by the Hong Kong Island regional crime unit, with no arrests made so far.
Police initiated an investigation into Marigold Mansions on Thursday after receiving a report about a suspected fake inspection certificate for scaffolding nets at the building. Officers seized a flame-retardant test report issued by the "Binzhou Inspection and Testing Center."
In connection with the Wang Fuk Court fire, police have arrested 15 people, including staff from the main contractor, engineering consultant, and subcontracted scaffolding and exterior repair companies, on suspicion of manslaughter. Tests on 20 net samples from the scene found seven failed flame-retardancy standards, with a higher failure rate among samples taken from less accessible locations.
Chief Secretary Eric Chan Kwok-ki previously said those involved had cunningly and deliberately mixed compliant and non-compliant nets to evade government detection.
