Hong Kong—The Buildings Department ordered a citywide suspension of construction on 30 private projects this morning. This move comes as a direct response to the fire safety concerns emerging from the Wang Fuk Court disaster. Work must remain stalled until each site passes a rigorous fire safety inspection.

Inspectors are now visiting sites across the city to review construction materials and fire-suppression systems. Any project failing to meet updated standards will remain under a stop-work order until further notice. The department is not taking any risks after the recent loss of life.

Contractors were notified of the suspension through an urgent briefing yesterday evening. Many site managers were forced to lock down their gates early today to comply with the directive. This interruption will likely cause significant delays for these projects.

The government is scrutinizing the quality of cladding and insulation used in these high-rise developments. These materials are believed to have played a major role in the rapid spread of the fire in Tai Po. Any site found using non-compliant materials will face permanent shutdown and legal penalties.

The industry is feeling the pressure of this new safety mandate. Large developers are scrambling to provide proof of compliance to the department to avoid prolonged delays. Engineers are being brought in to perform independent checks on every floor of the under-construction buildings.

This regulatory action is expected to last for several weeks. The department has tripled its inspection team size to handle the influx of requests. They are focused on ensuring that no other residential towers fall victim to the same design failures found at Wang Fuk Court.

Some construction workers are facing temporary unemployment as these projects sit idle. Labor unions are calling for the government to provide support to those affected by the sudden halt. The situation remains fluid as the inspection teams move from one site to the next.

Residents living near these construction sites have expressed support for the measure. Many had voiced concerns about fire safety well before the latest tragedy. The government is signaling that it will no longer tolerate corners being cut in the interest of speed.