Homeowners at the Hong Kong complex destroyed in one of the city’s deadliest fires were wrongly told that the contractor now blamed for the tragedy had a clean safety record. Documents seen by Reuters show that Will Power Architects, hired to assess renovation bids, assured residents that Prestige Construction & Engineering had no Labour Department prosecutions. But labour department records show Prestige had been penalised more than a dozen times between 2016 and 2019 for unsafe scaffolding and faulty electrical work. The company still won the HK$330 million renovation contract after Will Power gave its bid one of the highest grades.

Both companies are now under manslaughter and corruption investigations after the 26 November fire at Wang Fuk Court, which has killed at least 159 people. Authorities say Prestige used substandard mesh on the scaffolding and flammable foam boards around windows. The labour department had earlier told residents that the mesh was certified as safe. Wang Fuk Court, built in the 1980s, is home to about 2,000 small flats owned mainly by senior citizens and blue-collar families. Renovation problems surfaced early. Records show Prestige had previously been fined HK$309,000 for 15 safety violations, while the buildings department had also penalised the firm in older cases. As costs rose and safety worries mounted, residents tried to remove Prestige, leading to a tense meeting in September 2024 where a new homeowners’ board was elected. Many residents, including construction workers, monitored the site themselves. One homeowner even removed the flammable foam boards from his windows, but later told Reuters his efforts could not stop what happened.