After Hong Kong fire, can new tech protect China’s high-rises from tragedy?

The massive fire that engulfed the Wang Fuk Court residential estate in Hong Kong on Wednesday has prompted discussions about the potential for new firefighting technologies to improve rescues. The fire spread rapidly across seven adjoining residential blocks covered in bamboo scaffolding. Residential high-rises are closely clustered in the densely populated city. Since 2000, mainland China has built almost 1,600 skyscrapers – 60 per cent of the global total – eclipsing the early 20th century...