The exact cause of the inferno has not been determined. What is clear, however, is that the fire spread rapidly through the exterior scaffolding system, said Jiang Liming, a fire-safety expert at Hong Kong Polytechnic University. Read more: reut.rs/4pyWaNt 4/4

The department subsequently reviewed safety certification for the mesh, which was used as a net for falling debris, and told residents the material's 'flame-retardant performance' met standards 3/4