Wang Fuk Court fire report submitted to Hong Kong leader, sources say four bodies at fault
An independent committee submitted its report on the Wang Fuk Court fire to Chief Executive John Lee on 22 October. Sources say four government bodies are named for dereliction of duty, with the Independent Checking Unit bearing the heaviest responsibility. The report does not name individual offici
The Independent Committee investigating the fire at Wang Fuk Court in Tai Po submitted its report to Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu on Thursday, according to sources familiar with the matter. The report spans more than ten chapters and names four government bodies for dereliction of duty: the Independent Checking Unit (ICU), the Buildings Department, the Fire Services Department, and the Labour Department. Sources indicated that the ICU bears the heaviest responsibility among them.
However, sources said the report does not name any accountable officials. It leaves the determination of specific accountability and disciplinary actions to the government. The Chief Executive will not release the report to the public immediately, as it must first be reviewed by the Department of Justice.
The report also puts forward a series of recommendations aimed at preventing similar tragedies. These include strengthening supervision of related professionals to prevent them from acting as mere rubber stamps, introducing criminal penalties to curb bid-rigging during major renovations, making recommendations on standards for engineering materials, and improving the Fire Services Department's submission process for fire installation and equipment certificates.
The findings come months after the fire at Wang Fuk Court, which highlighted lapses in building and fire safety oversight. The committee's recommendations seek to address systemic weaknesses identified during the investigation.