Panel formed to probe civil servants’ role in Hung Fuk Court fire risk
Hong Kong’s Civil Service Colloquium has set up a panel to investigate individual civil servants’ responsibilities over fire-risk failures at Hung Fuk Court in Tai Po. The panel, led by chairperson Alice Cheng, will examine possible misconduct and disciplinary action within three months.
Hong Kong’s Civil Service Colloquium has formed an investigation panel to look into individual civil servants’ responsibilities regarding fire-risk failures linked to the Hung Fuk Court estate project in Tai Po. The move follows a report by an independent commission that identified shortcomings in oversight by the Independent Checking Unit, Buildings Department, Fire Services Department and the Labour Department.
The panel comprises Colloquium chairperson Alice Cheng, who will lead the investigation, along with members Alice Kung and Wong Koon-man. The team will operate under terms of reference set by the Chief Executive, who formally referred the case to the Colloquium on 29 October 2026 under the “administrative responsibility two-tier investigation mechanism” of the “department head responsibility system”.
The panel’s tasks include gathering evidence to determine whether individual officers were derelict of duty, breached departmental rules, or violated the Civil Service Code or related management regulations. It will also recommend disciplinary actions or administrative sanctions based on the findings, referencing the Civil Service Management Order and the Civil Service (Discipline) Regulations.
Cheng said the panel members had “very rich administrative management and public service experience”, having served on various statutory bodies and within the Colloquium. She expressed confidence that the team would conduct the investigation “fairly, justly and impartially”.
A support office has been established under Section 6(1)(d) of the Investigation Regulations to assist the panel. The Civil Service Bureau said it had made early preparations since August, deploying staff from different grades to study the large volume of publicly available material from the independent commission. The support office formally began operations on 29 October and will help gather documents and arrange meetings with relevant civil servants.
The panel is required to complete its work within three months, as directed by the Chief Executive. Cheng stressed the investigation’s purpose was to “ascertain the facts” and “clarify the administrative responsibilities” of individual officers involved in fire-risk supervision at Hung Fuk Court.
