🔥 YDNFoam International Emergency Statement
Hong Kong Fire Tragedy Highlights Global Need for Higher-Standard Flame-Resistant Building Materials**
Date: 28 November 2025
YDNFoam expresses deep sorrow over the tragic fire at the Hong Kong Tai Po Hung Fuk Estate and extends sincere condolences to all affected families.
Early investigations by the Hong Kong Government indicate that combustible foam boards (EPS/XPS) used around window openings and façade areas contributed to rapid vertical fire spread.
This tragedy underscores a critical reality shared across global construction markets:
**Material choice determines fire behavior.
Low-grade combustible foams are no longer acceptable in modern high-density cities.**

01｜Combustible façade materials have caused repeated disasters worldwide
Expanded Polystyrene (EPS) and Extruded Polystyrene (XPS) are widely used as insulation or temporary enclosure materials. However, they are classified as:
B2/B3 – Combustible materials
under global fire standards, with characteristics such as:
Low ignition temperature
Rapid flame spread on façades
Melting and flaming droplets that ignite secondary fires
High smoke and toxic gas release
Formation of “chimney effects” around window openings and scaffolding
Similar behaviors were observed in:
Grenfell Tower Fire – UK (2017)
Urumqi Jixiangyuan Fire – China (2022)
Krasnoyarsk Mall Fire – Russia (2018)
Daegu Hospital Fire – Korea (2019)
The Hong Kong tragedy fits this global pattern.

**02｜Global construction is shifting toward high fire-resistance material systems
—not low-cost combustible foams**
Most international building codes are moving toward:
A-Class non-combustible as the main system + B1-class flame-resistant polymers as functional layers
Examples:
EN 13501-1 (EU): A1/A2 required for façades; B-class allowed only in controlled assemblies
NFPA 285 (US): strict façade fire propagation requirements
ASTM E84 (US): flame spread & smoke developed index thresholds
GB/T 8627 / GB 8624 (China): A-class + B1 high flame-resistance combinations
The industry is leaving behind:
“B2/B3 combustible insulating boards + simple flame-retardant coatings”
and moving toward:
“non-combustible structural layers + intrinsic flame-resistant polymer layers (B1)”
in multi-layer fire-safe wall assemblies.

**03｜YDNFoam Melamine Foam:
A B1-Class Intrinsic Flame-Resistant Material for Modern Building Safety**
YDNFoam melamine foam is a B1-class flame-resistant material under EN 13501 and GB 8624.
Unlike EPS/XPS, its flame performance comes from its chemical structure, not additives.
✔ Intrinsic flame resistance (non-melting, non-dripping)
In fire conditions, melamine foam forms a carbonized protective layer, rather than melting:
No flaming droplets
No molten flow
No internal flame tunneling
Slower flame spread vs. B2 organic foams
✔ Wide operating temperature range: approx. -200°C to +240°C
Suitable for:
Façade cavity barriers
Construction-phase temporary enclosure
HVAC & mechanical rooms
Acoustic fire-resistant linings
Transport hubs & public buildings
Energy facilities & LNG/cold-chain projects
✔ Ultra-lightweight options (as low as 4 kg/m³)
Comparable to BASF Basotect® UL, lighter weight and ideal for composite systems.
✔ Low smoke and low toxicity (relative to common organic foams)
Reducing smoke is critical in fire scenes, where smoke inhalation causes most casualties globally.
✔ Multi-functional: insulation, sound absorption, vibration attenuation
Enhances both safety and comfort in large, complex buildings.
In a scenario like the Hong Kong fire, using a B1-class intrinsic flame-resistant material in window or enclosure areas could have slowed fire propagation and reduced downward ignition from flaming droplets.

04｜Recommended Applications of YDNFoam in Global Building Safety Systems
Based on international fire codes, YDNFoam is recommended as the B1-class functional layer in high safety assemblies:
1) Replacement of combustible EPS/XPS for construction-phase temporary enclosure
Critical for:
Window openings
Temporary façade wraps
Scaffolding protection
Vertical shafts and mechanical openings
These areas often initiate vertical fire spread.

2) B1-class flame-resistant layer within A-class façade or interior composite systems
YDNFoam can be integrated with:
A-class mineral wool
A1/A2 aluminum composite systems
Fire-resistant gypsum
Aerogel composites
Offering improved acoustic and thermal performance without compromising fire safety.

3) Fire-resistant acoustic systems for public infrastructure
Suitable for:
Subway & metro stations
Airport terminals
Hospitals & schools
Exhibition centers
Underground tunnels
Data centers
Meets EN, ASTM, and GB requirements when used in approved assemblies.

05｜The Hong Kong incident will accelerate global adoption of high flame-resistance materials
Cities worldwide—including Hong Kong, Singapore, London, Seoul, and major Chinese cities—are expected to:
Restrict B2/B3 combustible foams around façades and window openings
Increase requirements for temporary construction enclosures
Emphasize system-level flame propagation behavior (NFPA 285, EN 13501-1)
Shift toward A-class + B1-class hybrid fire-safe systems
The future of building safety will not be defined by “basic flame-retardant coatings”, but by materials inherently engineered for fire safety.
YDNFoam melamine foam is positioned precisely for this new era.

**06｜YDNFoam’s Position:
Raising Fire Safety Standards Through Material Responsibility**
As a manufacturer of intrinsic flame-resistant melamine foam, YDNFoam is committed to:
Advancing B1-class flame-resistant foam technologies
Building ultra-lightweight, high-performance melamine foam (down to 4 kg/m³)
Supporting façade and interior fire-safe system design
Collaborating with architects, engineers, and regulators
Aligning with EN, ASTM, NFPA, and GB fire standards
Promoting responsible, science-based material selection in global construction
We firmly believe:
**Flame resistance is not a feature—
it is a life-critical requirement.**
YDNFoam will continue working with the global construction community to help prevent future tragedies.

📌 International Media Q&A
Q1. Is YDNFoam suggesting that melamine foam could have prevented the Hong Kong fire?
No material can “prevent all fires.”
What we emphasize is: B1-class intrinsic flame-resistant materials reduce flame spread speed and eliminate melting/dripping, which are major contributors to façade fire propagation.
Q2. Is melamine foam non-combustible (A-class)?
No.
Melamine foam is typically B1-class (flame-resistant, not non-combustible).
It must be used within appropriate A-class or approved composite systems according to building codes.
Q3. How does melamine foam compare to EPS/XPS in fire behavior?
EPS/XPS = B2/B3 (combustible, melting, flaming droplets)
Melamine foam = B1 (intrinsic flame resistance, no melting droplets)
They are not comparable in fire performance.
Q4. Will costs limit adoption of melamine foam?
For critical areas—façade openings, cavities, construction enclosures—the volume required is small but the safety impact is large.
More cities are shifting toward life-cycle cost evaluation, not material price alone.
Q5. Is this statement opportunistic marketing based on a disaster?
No.
We do not comment on responsibility or cause.
This statement reflects our professional obligation to highlight material-related fire risks and promote higher safety standards worldwide.

📌 Unified Global Talking Points for Partners & Media
“YDNFoam does not comment on specific incident responsibility. However, global fire data confirms that material fire classification strongly influences vertical flame spread. B1-class intrinsic flame-resistant materials, when used in compliant assemblies, can slow flame propagation and reduce melt-drip hazards. We advocate for safer material standards aligned with EN, ASTM, NFPA, and GB codes.”

📞 Official Contact Information
YDNFoam
📧 Email: [email protected]
🌐 Website: www.ydnfoam.com
📍 Address: No. 2088, Jiuliting Avenue, Caoqiao Street, Pinghu City, Zhejiang Province, China
📞 Phone / WeChat: +86-135-4070-2776