A blaze that spread across multiple high-rise buildings in a Hong Kong housing complex today has killed four people and left others trapped inside. The fire spread on bamboo scaffolding and construction netting that had been set up around the exterior of the complex. Bamboo scaffolding is a common sight in Hong Kong, though the government said earlier this year that it would start phasing it out for public projects due to safety concerns. Full story at The Journal. | TheJournal.ie

Hong Kong officials on Monday (Dec 1) confirmed that the netting on the scaffolding at Wang Fuk Court — the housing complex that caught fire last week — did not meet fire safety standards. According to the city’s Labour Department, residents had been complaining about the netting since September 2024, but were told by authorities that it posed “relatively low fire risks”. Hong Kong Chief Executive John Lee announced on Tuesday that an independent committee will be established to investigate the