World Business Report Hong Kong's deadliest fire in decades
17 snips
Nov 28, 2025 In this discussion, fire engineer Ross Timpson highlights safety measures for tall buildings, emphasizing the risks of bamboo scaffolding and the need for better fire management. Guillermo Moreno covers how the deterioration of US-Venezuela relations is disrupting airline operations. Bill Blaine provides insight into JP Morgan's London HQ and recent corporate reputational challenges, while Jane Dougal exposes the thriving counterfeit Premier League shirt market and its ties to organized crime.
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Residents' Terrifying Experience During The Fire
- Residents described calling loved ones trapped inside and feeling powerless as flames raced up multiple floors.
- Neighbours reported missing family members and long-term residents said they felt like dying watching the blaze.
How Exterior Fires Defeat Compartmentation
- External scaffolding and compact internal layouts amplified heat and hindered firefighter access.
- Fire spreading on an exterior envelope defeats compartmentation and enables rapid vertical and lateral spread.
Renovation Materials Can Turn Façades Into Fuel
- Bamboo scaffolding and shrouding used in Hong Kong renovations can create a continuous vertical fuel path.
- Multiple adjacent shrouded buildings can allow a single ignition to become a multi-block conflagration.