What Made Bamboo Scaffolding or Cheap Chinese Nets So Lethal in the Hong Kong Fire?

In what is being described as the most devastating fire in Hong Kong’s modern history, a massive blaze ripped through a high-rise residential complex on Wednesday, killing at least 75 people and leaving nearly 300 unaccounted for. As authorities scramble to determine the cause, public debate is intensifying over the materials surrounding the buildings during renovation-specifically, the low-cost Chinese construction nets and the centuries-old bamboo scaffolding system still widely used in the city.

According to local media reports, flames rapidly climbed up the bamboo scaffolding and green mesh that enveloped the residential towers. This alarming spread has triggered nationwide discussions about which element-and whose negligence-allowed the fire to turn into a towering inferno.

On Weibo, the hashtag “Why Hong Kong still uses bamboo scaffolding?” surged in popularity as citizens questioned the city’s Reliance on traditional methods instead of adopting mainland china’s increasingly modern metal-based scaffolding systems. Despite rising criticism, Hong Kong’s labour secretary reaffirmed in July that the government had “no intention of banning bamboo scaffolds.”

Local residents offered conflicting interpretations: some pointed to the inferior quality of the Chinese netting, while others defended bamboo as a structurally strong and eco-friendly option that should not ignite easily. The truth, however, appears far more complex.

WHAT EXACTLY HAPPENED IN HONG KONG?

On Wednesday afternoon, a public housing estate undergoing extensive renovation-and wrapped in green construction mesh and bamboo scaffolding-caught fire. Within minutes, flames engulfed several 31-storey towers, trapping hundreds of residents inside.

By Thursday morning, authorities confirmed at least 55 deaths, with hundreds still missing.

Police detained three members of the construction company responsible for the renovation, citing “gross negligence” and the use of substandard materials, including combustible nets and foam-boarded windows. Renovation on the buildings had been underway since July 2024, completely covering the complex in green mesh and bamboo poles.

According to CNN, Hong Kong’s fire services director noted the “unusual” discovery of polystyrene foam boards-bearing the construction company’s name-blocking multiple windows. These boards acted as additional fuel, worsening the spread of the fire.

For decades, Hong Kong’s skyline has been defined by bamboo scaffolding that can extend up to 60 storeys high. The structures have long been valued for flexibility, low cost, sustainability, and ease of installation in dense urban streets. But in this tragedy, bamboo-and the combustible nets covering it-became a deadly combination.

WHY IS TRADITIONAL BAMBOO SCAFFOLDING SO DANGEROUS?

Bamboo scaffolding is deeply woven into Hong Kong’s architectural history. Similar to practices in India, it remains widely used for residential and small-scale commercial buildings due to its affordability and quick assembly. Yet, experts warn that bamboo is inherently flammable-especially on high-rise buildings.

“Bamboo is definitely a flammable material,” said Xinyan Huang, Associate Professor in Building Environment and Energy Engineering at Hong Kong Polytechnic University.

“During a dry season, once bamboo ignites, the fire spread can be extremely fast,” Huang told CNN.

This is because bamboo poles are fixed vertically, providing a clear upward path for flames. In essence, when ignited, bamboo scaffolding becomes a vertical fire ladder.

Between 2019 and 2024, Reuters documented 22 fatalities in industrial accidents linked to bamboo scaffolding in Hong Kong. In several instances, fires involving scaffolded buildings have caused structural collapse or severe external damage.

THE HIDDEN FUEL BEHIND THE HONG KONG FIRE: CHEAP CHINESE NETTING?

Experts and residents agree that bamboo itself might not be the only-or even primary-culprit. Instead, attention is shifting to the highly combustible netting, plastic sheets, waterproof films, and foam insulation that wrapped the buildings during renovation.

These materials are commonly used in India too, particularly because they are considered “eco-friendly” and affordable-but not necessarily fire-resistant.

Tang Ping-keung, Hong Kong’s Secretary for Security, told ABC Chinese that fire services found multiple “unusual” materials on the building’s exterior, including non-compliant plastic sheets and protective films that may have acted as accelerants.

Award-winning Hong Kong photographer Galileo Cheng shared that bamboo scaffolding managed to withstand nearly 14 hours of intense heat, while numerous videos on social media showed the construction netting burning rapidly, melting, and raining flames on lower floors.

Australian fire safety engineer Alex Webb told The Independent that a combination of flammable components-including plastic encapsulation, polystyrene, sheeting, and bamboo-likely contributed to the speed and severity of the blaze.

Several users on X claimed that much of this low-grade material was imported cheaply from mainland China. Others alleged that some construction workers-many of whom smoke-may have accidentally ignited the combustible nets.

Former Hong Kong firefighter Raymond Cheung reinforced this point, stating that blaming bamboo alone oversimplifies the situation. He emphasized that only a full investigation can determine whether the bamboo, the nets, or a mixture of unsafe materials caused the disaster.

THE COMBINATION THAT TURNED DEADLY

The Hong Kong government has now formed a high-level task force and ordered immediate inspections of all ongoing construction projects, especially those involving bamboo scaffolding and mesh coverings. Earlier this year, the government had already mandated that at least 50% of new public works must use metal scaffolding-though bamboo remains widely used in private and residential projects.

Based on emerging evidence, experts believe the fire’s devastation resulted from a dangerous blend of:

Ultimately, the tragedy appears to be the result of a combustible skeleton wrapped in substandard, highly flammable coverings-and compounded by lapses in enforcement in a region known globally for strict building codes.

As Hong Kong mourns, the disaster is forcing a painful reckoning: traditional construction methods, modern cost-cutting, and inconsistent safety oversight can combine into a lethal formula. Until the investigation concludes, one thing is certain-Hong Kong’s building safety regulations will never be viewed the same way again.