Hong Kong's Wang Fuk Court Deadly Fire; Public Opinion Points to Government Departments Shirking Responsibility

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Hearings on the tragic fire that killed 168 in Hong Kong revealed government departments shifting blame, sparking severe public backlash.

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Hearings on the tragic fire that killed 168 in Hong Kong revealed government departments shifting blame, sparking severe public backlash.

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Source: https://www.cna.com.tw/news/acn/202604230043.aspx | Date: Date unavailable

Central News Agency Message (CNA Reporter Chang Chien, Hong Kong, 23rd) The independent commission responsible for investigating the deadly fire at Wang Fuk Court in Hong Kong continued its hearings yesterday. Senior officials from the Fire Services Department testified, but their statements instantly ignited an emotional outburst from the media and the public, who began linking the occurrence of the fire to government departments mutually shirking responsibility. Wang Fuk Court, located in Tai Po, New Territories, has seven buildings. On November 26 last year, a massive fire broke out in the estate, engulfing six of the buildings and causing 168 deaths. It was the deadliest fire in Hong Kong since 1948. At the time of the fire, Wang Fuk Court was undergoing maintenance and was covered by scaffolding. Following the fire, Chief Executive John Lee appointed an independent commission to investigate its causes and related issues to find preventive measures. Starting from the 20th of last month, the commission began holding hearings. Yesterday was the 17th hearing, where several senior officials from the Fire Services Department testified. In recent hearings, the commission mainly sought to understand the division of labor among various government departments regarding fire prevention. According to comprehensive reports from local media, during yesterday's hearing, Victor Dawes suggested to Assistant Director of Fire Services Yung Kam-hung that before the massive fire at Wang Fuk Court, residents had complained to the Fire Services Department about various fire risk issues at the estate, but they were ultimately not followed up on. Yung Kam-hung responded that the risks associated with the estate's rear stairs "inspection openings" (modifying windows in the rear stairs into open passageways for workers' convenience during maintenance), workers smoking, flammable scaffolding, and styrofoam-sealed windows fell under the jurisdiction of the Housing Bureau, the Labour Depart

Hong Kong's Wang Fuk Court Deadly Fire; Public Opinion Points to Government Departments Shirking Responsibility

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