HONG KONG/SINGAPORE/BEIJING ¨C Homeowners at the complex destroyed in one of Hong Kong¡¯s deadliest fires were incorrectly told the contractor that authorities blame for the blaze had a clean safety record, documents show.
Residents were given the assurances by Will Power Architects, which was retained by their homeowners¡¯ corporation to evaluate bids for a renovation contract, according to a PowerPoint presentation created by the consultant.
In fact, the contractor, Prestige Construction & Engineering Co., had been penalized by the city¡¯s safety regulator more than a dozen times in the seven years before it was hired by the corporation to renovate the complex, according to the agency¡¯s records, including for improperly installing scaffolding and faulty electrical connections.
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