Photos circulating on social media show children's playground equipment, including classic metal slides and caterpillar climbing frames, being dismantled outside Wang Fuk Court, the site of Hong Kong's devastating fire that killed 160 people, prompting complaints from netizens.
The estate, no longer managed by the Housing Authority, had retained 1980s- and 1990s-era playground items that survived over 40 years and remained open for use by local children, including those from nearby Kwong Fuk Estate.
Some online users lamented the sudden demolition, arguing the facilities endured the intense fire but not government removal, and questioned the lack of consultation with owners, viewing it as erasing decades of shared community memories for residents of Wang Fuk Court, Kwong Fuk Estate, and Tai Po.
The Housing Bureau responded that parts of the external scaffolding and attachments on the seven affected buildings were severely damaged and unstable after the fire, requiring urgent removal for public safety.
Large cranes needed sufficient flat, stable space to operate safely, but the narrow site lacked adequate area, necessitating the clearance of park facilities to create room for emergency works.
Under the Buildings Ordinance, in emergencies, authorized personnel can proceed with necessary work without prior notice to owners.
As an urgent case, operations began immediately, with the owners' corporation notified afterward by the bureau's Independent Checking Unit.
