Systemic failings around supervision of building maintenance in Hong Kong, and a lack of coordination between departments charged with ensuring it is done properly, both needed to be addressed to prevent tragedies such as the Tai Po fire happening again, experts and sector representatives have said.

The regulation of polystyrene foam boards was particularly important, they added, with the preliminary investigation into the deadly blaze at Wang Fuk Court finding that the fire started on protective nets covering scaffolding and was intensified by styrofoam, despite the nets meeting fire safety standards.

Officials have launched citywide inspections of buildings under construction or undergoing maintenance, requiring reports within seven days on the fire-retardant performance of materials being used.

And on Friday, the government said the performance of the nets at Wang Fuk Court had been tested and was not found to have aided combustion.

But the Housing Bureau, which conducted the test, said the boards in Wang Chi House, the only block unaffected by the fire, were found to be flammable.

The Buildings Department said that as of 5pm on Friday it had inspected 127 buildings undergoing maintenance to their facades, and had sent samples of scaffolding nets from those sites to be tested.