Pok Fu Lam construction workers scale scaffolding in protest over unpaid wages from firm linked to Tai Po fire

2026-01-28 - 09:12

Construction workers at a residential estate in Pok Fu Lam have staged a protest demanding unpaid wages after their project – managed by a contractor linked to the Wang Fuk Court fire – was halted following the blaze. A construction worker sitting atop scaffolding at Baguio Villa to protest unpaid wages on January 28, 2026. Photo: Kyle Lam/HKFP. Police received a report just before 9am about a protest involving around 15 workers outside Baguio Villa, the force said. Two of them were said to have climbed up onto the scaffolding at the complex. One worker told HK01 that he has been owed wages since last September. In total, the company stands accused of owing millions of dollars to dozens of workers. See also: Explainer: How deadly Tai Po fire brings to light bid-rigging epidemic in Hong Kong renovation industry When HKFP arrived at around noon, one worker was spotted atop the scaffolding without wearing any safety gear. The workers were contracted by Prestige Construction & Engineering Company Limited, the same firm that oversaw renovation work at Wang Fuk Court before a fire engulfed seven of the Tai Po housing estate’s eight blocks last November killing 168 people. Authorities said substandard construction netting and flammable foam boards used in the revamp were believed to have accelerated the spread of the fire. Fire services erect cushion The Fire Services Department said it received a report just before 9.30am on Tuesday about a case involving a person threatening to jump from height at Baguio Villa in Pok Fu Lam. Workers holding up banners reading “all work and no pay” at Baguio Villa on January 28, 2026. Photo: Hong Kong Construction Industry Employees General Union, via Facebook. Six fire trucks and two ambulances were deployed to the scene, and an air cushion was set up. The department’s response was still ongoing, it told HKFP at 2.30pm. Wednesday’s protest followed a demonstration in mid-December, when around 30 workers at Baguio Villa demanded their unpaid salaries. They wrote on a banner that they were owed HK$300 million. One Baguio Villa resident, who asked to go by the name Cath, told HKFP she lived in one of the blocks that was undergoing renovations. The project involves Stage Four of the estate, which has three blocks, she said. Cath said the project was a result of inspections done 10 years ago as part of the Buildings Department’s Mandatory Building Inspection Scheme, she said. The scheme requires older buildings served with a statutory notice to be checked and to make the necessary repair works. Firefighters and police officers deployed to Baguio Villa on January 28, 2026. An air cushion was set up after a construction worker climbed up atop scaffolding. Photo: Kyle Lam/HKFP. Renovation, however, only began last year, after Prestige was selected out of a few contractors following an hours-long owners’ incorporation meeting. The project was halted in early December. Cath said part of a driveway was blocked downstairs due to fire engines and ambulances that were parked, and some were “getting annoyed by the inconvenience.” “But we are sympathetic to the workers who haven’t been paid for three months,” she said. Cath added that she paid around HK$165,000 for the renovation project. “I live in a smaller unit with no balcony,” she said. “Others will have paid much more.” ‘All work and no pay’ In a Facebook post on Wednesday, the Hong Kong Construction Industry Employees General Union said it was concerned about the workers at Baguio Villa being owed wages. In photos shared by the union, workers were seen holding up banners that read “all work and no pay.” Baguio Villa in Pok Fu Lam. Photo: Kyle Lam/HKFP. The union had sent members of its team to the scene to speak with workers,