Human factors rendered ineffective almost all the fire safety measures at the site of a Hong Kong blaze that killed 168 people in November last year, the lead lawyer for a panel led by a judge that is investigating the inferno said yesterday.
The committee set up by Hong Kong Chief Executive John Lee (李家超) to recommend preventive measures began hearings into the territory’s deadliest fire in decades at the high-rise Wang Fuk housing complex in Tai Po District.
“Only by confronting past mistakes can the city become safer,” said the lawyer, Victor Dawes, as he detailed evidence regarding the blaze in the complex of eight blocks that were under extensive renovation.
Photo: AP
CCTV images and videos shot by the public before and during the blaze, including scenes of construction workers smoking at the site, were played for the committee to review.
“My family member has passed away, it’s been hard to watch so many videos, it’s like witnessing the whole process,” said a former resident, Phyllis, who lost her mother in the fire and received the videos before the hearing.
Phyllis, who gave only one name, told reporters that she wanted to know the cause of the fire.
Other residents said they wanted to know why the fire alarms never sounded.
In 2024, authorities told residents that fire risks were “relatively low” following their complaints about fire hazards posed by the renovations, the Hong Kong Labour Department said earlier.
Dawes detailed five major problems, among them the shutting down of fire alarms in seven blocks, and the removal of staircase and corridor windows to give access to scaffolding for workers, allowing smoke and flames to enter residents’ escape routes.
Fire hydrants and hose reels were shut off and netting that was not flame-retardant was used, Dawes said.
Cigarette butts were suspected to be the cause of the blaze, according to a report by an inter-departmental task force, he added.
Residents’ repeated complaints about workers smoking had not been taken seriously by authorities, he said.
Investigators found butts on the scaffolding and platforms, and in light wells, Dawes said.
Dozens of residents and members of the public arrived early yesterday to attend the proceedings at a public conference hall.
Judge David Lok (陸啟康), who chaired the hearing, said that it aimed to find the causes of the fire, and the extent of the problem of bid-rigging by contractors and developers across building projects in Hong Kong.
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