Why Hong Kong's Deadly Fire Spread Swiftly - Focus On Fast-Burning Foam

As the investigation deepens into the Hong Kong building fire that has claimed 65 lives, the role of construction materials that may have contributed to the fast spread of flames has come under scrutiny. Three top officials of the engineering company renovating the tower complex have been arrested in a suspected case of manslaughter. According to an Associated Press report, highly flammable Styrofoam has been found attached to windows on each floor of an unaffected tower, suggesting it was used in the renovation.

What Is Styrofoam?

Styrofoam is made of polystyrene, a petroleum-based plastic. It is widely used in construction, insulation and food packaging. Its use in food packaging is banned in several parts of the world, including the European Union. The reasons behind the ban include the fact that Styrofoam is non-biodegradable and concerns that it may be carcinogenic.

A key property of Styrofoam is that it can ignite at relatively low temperatures and burns rapidly. When burning, it produces dense black smoke and poisonous fumes such as carbon monoxide. Styrofoam has air pockets: some estimates suggest air accounts for 95 to 98 per cent of its composition. While this makes Styrofoam light and buoyant, it also aids the quick spread of fire.

Renovation Materials Under Lens

According to a report in Hong Kong news outlet The Standard, a notice from the owners' body at Wang Fuk Court, published last year by the contractor Prestige Construction and Engineering Company Limited, mentioned the materials to be used during the renovation.

This notice specified that "foam board" would be used to cover windows to prevent sand and rock fragments from damaging glass during construction. Canvas and wood panels were also mentioned.

The use of these materials, all of them flammable, has now become a key focus area as authorities investigate what led to the fire and why it spread so quickly.

READ: The Hong Kong Deadly High-Rise Fire: All You Need To Know

In-Depth Probe In Progress

Eileen Chung, a senior cop, said they have reasons to believe that those in charge of the construction company were "grossly negligent", according to the Associated Press report.

The Standard quoted Secretary for Security Chris Tang as saying that firefighters had observed that protective netting, film, some waterproof canvas, and plastic sheeting on the affected building's exterior burned more fiercely than standard compliant materials.

Tang said that police and fire services have formed a task force to investigate two "unusual" situations involving the exterior materials and foam boards. This task force, he said, would pursue criminal liability, including whether the materials complied with fire and building standards.

Director of Fire Services Andy Yeung pointed out that firefighters discovered ventilation windows in an unaffected building sealed with foam boards. Given the high flammability of such foam, it could cause the fire to spread rapidly once heated.

A Massive Tragedy

Fifty-five people have died, and over 70 others have been injured in the fire tragedy in the residential estate. The housing complex comprises eight buildings with 2,000 apartments and houses about 4,800 residents, many of them elderly. Built in the 1980s, it had been undergoing a major renovation.

Lawrence Lee, a resident, told the Associated Press earlier today that he was waiting for news about his wife. "When the fire started, I told her on the phone to escape. But once she left the flat, the corridor and stairs were all filled with smoke and it was all dark, so she had no choice but to go back to the flat," he said, as he waited in a shelter.

This is among the deadliest fires Hong Kong has seen in decades. In November 1996, 41 people had died after a fire in a commercial building lasted for around 20 hours.