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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