Sui Wo Court begins scaffold removal amid fire safety concerns

Workers have begun dismantling the protective netting surrounding the renovation works at Sui Wo Court in Sha Tin, a precautionary measure taken in the wake of the deadly Wang Fuk Court fire in Tai Po.

Leung Po-leng, chair of the owners’ corporation, said the removal started yesterday (Nov 30) to ease residents’ concerns about safety.

The property management company said the government had carried out a preliminary inspection of the protective netting and found no breach of recognized fire-retardant standards.

Still, acknowledging the psychological impact of the Wang Fuk Court tragedy, the contractor said all window covering panels have now been taken down, and the exterior scaffolding will be removed in phases. The team is also exploring the use of a crane boat to complete the remaining repair work.

To further strengthen confidence in the estate’s safety, management will reevaluate the fire systems across its nine residential blocks. The systems underwent their annual inspection in October, but an additional fire alarm test has been arranged for tomorrow (Dec 2).

Frontline security staff will also receive enhanced training to improve emergency response readiness.

The extensive renovation project at Sui Wo Court, which began two years ago at a cost of more than HK$388 million, is expected to see full scaffold removal by April next year.