Scaffold Collapse at Hong Kong Renovation Site Kills Two Laborers, Safety Probe Launched, Work Halted

Hong Kong, Hong Kong— A bamboo scaffold collapsed at a commercial building renovation site in central Hong Kong shortly after 10 a.m. on October 20, killing two laborers who fell 12 floors to the street below.

The accident occurred at a 1980s-era office block on Des Voeux Road Central, where contractors were recladding the facade. The scaffold, a traditional bamboo structure wrapped in green netting, covered floors 8 to 15. At 10:07 a.m., a section on the 12th floor gave way, taking two workers with it. Both men were wearing harnesses, but neither was anchored at the time.

The Standard reported the victims were a 46-year-old mainland worker and a 52-year-old local resident, both employed by a subcontractor hired for exterior painting. Police said they landed on a truck parked below. They were pronounced dead at the scene by paramedics. No pedestrians were injured, though debris damaged two cars.

The Labour Department issued an immediate suspension notice for the site. Inspectors found that tie brackets connecting the scaffold to the building wall were spaced too far apart, and several bamboo poles were cracked. A site safety officer, who declined to be named, said, "The ties were every five meters, should be three. And they reused old bamboo. When the wind hit this morning, it pulled away."

Hong Kong still relies heavily on bamboo scaffolding, a trade that requires skill but is lightly regulated at the subcontractor level. The city has seen 18 scaffold-related fatalities in the last three years, according to Labour Department data. Union leaders say pressure to cut costs pushes contractors to use fewer ties and unqualified scaffolders.

A Labour Department spokesman said, "We will conduct a thorough investigation. The contractor has a record of two prior improvement notices this year." The main contractor, a mid-sized firm with five active sites in Central, said it is cooperating and has suspended all exterior works pending checks.

Workers at the site gathered in silence after the bodies were removed. One co-worker said the two men had been on site since 7 a.m. and had complained about the scaffold swaying. "We told the foreman. He said finish the wall first," he said.

The building owner said renovation will be delayed indefinitely. The street in front of the building was closed until 2 p.m. while debris was cleared and structural engineers assessed the remaining scaffold.

The remaining scaffold is still hanging. The site is sealed.