Devastating High-Rise Fire in Hong Kong: At Least 55 Dead, Hundreds Missing

Authorities have arrested three individuals - two company directors and one consultant - from the construction firm responsible for the renovation, on suspicion of manslaughter. The blaze is believed to have been fuelled by flammable materials used during maintenance (such as mesh, plastic sheeting and potentially foam-sealed windows), which may have violated safety standards. Bamboo scaffolding, despite being already slated for phase-out, appears to have played a central role in the fire’s rapid spread.

The scale and speed of the disaster have triggered comparisons with the 2017 Grenfell Tower inferno in London, particularly around the dangers of combustible cladding or exterior materials in high-rise residential buildings.

What the UK Did Since Grenfell: New Building Safety Measures

Following Grenfell, the UK government enacted major reforms to prevent similar tragedies. Key among these are:

• The Fire Safety Act 2021: Clarified that external walls, windows, balconies, and communal areas in buildings with multiple residences must be subject to fire-risk assessments.

• The Building Safety Act 2022: Established a new regulator - the Building Safety Regulator (BSR) -to oversee “higher-risk buildings” (typically those 18 metres or more, or 7+ storeys). It imposes stricter oversight on design, construction, renovation and ongoing safety management, and assigns legal duties to developers, owners, contractors and other stakeholders.

• Ban on combustible external cladding: Since 2018, combustible materials used on external walls of high-rise buildings have been prohibited. This has been extended over time to include mid-rise buildings (from 11 metres) and broader types of accommodation.

• Strengthened maintenance and inspection obligations: Those responsible for buildings must now regularly inspect fire doors, safety systems and external walls, and must ensure fire safety standards remain up to date.

These reforms reflect lessons learned from Grenfell - especially the dangers posed by flammable external materials and inadequate fire-safety oversight.

Why the Hong Kong Fire Underscores the Risks

The tragedy at Wang Fuk Court demonstrates how similar hazards, combustible scaffolding/wraps, renovation materials, and inadequate oversight - can still produce catastrophic outcomes. Even though building-safety rules exist in many jurisdictions, enforcement, materials used, and workmanship remain critical vulnerabilities.

In that sense, the incident acts as a grim reminder that regulatory reforms like those in the UK post-Grenfell are not a guarantee - they only work if compliance, materials quality, and enforcement are rigorous.