Laily UPN
A profound sense of responsibility rests with the government for the catastrophic fire that engulfed Wang Fuk Court in Tai Po last year, Senior Counsel Victor Dawes, representing the independent public inquiry committee, declared in his closing statements. The blaze, which tragically claimed 168 lives and displaced thousands, was a stark illustration of systemic failures, a fact underscored by Dawes’ comprehensive 627-page submission made publicly available on the committee’s website.
A Tragedy of Unfathomable Scale
"The fire at Wang Fuk Court in Tai Po on 26 November 2025 was one of the gravest tragedies to have ever occurred in Hong Kong," Dawes began his address at the City Gallery on Friday. He poignantly described the enduring shock and difficulty in comprehending the magnitude of the disaster, even seven months later. "The scale of the disaster – the loss of 168 lives, and the abrupt destruction of a neighbourhood which thousands called home, where they built families and created memories – remains difficult to comprehend."
The inferno erupted on November 26, 2025, during renovation works at the government-run estate. The fire rapidly spread through seven of the eight buildings, a swift and brutal devastation that claimed the lives of residents and one firefighter, leaving countless others homeless and traumatized.
Unscrupulous Practices and Regulatory Lapses
Dawes’ submission meticulously detailed how companies involved in the renovation work at Wang Fuk Court employed “unscrupulous means” that ultimately went undetected by the government’s regulatory framework. He singled out Will Power Architects, the consultancy overseeing the HK$330 million renovation, and Prestige Construction & Engineering, the main contractor, for their actions, stating they should be “completely condemned.”
"I emphasise that this was caused by continuous fraud, bad materials, false certificates, and blatant lying," Dawes asserted, highlighting that the government’s prevailing "honour system" was ill-equipped to counter deliberate deception. He stressed the urgent need for a "systematic review to identify flaws exposed by the fire."
A critical finding revealed that Wang Fuk Court was largely enveloped in non-fire-retardant nets on the day of the fire. Dawes indicated that Prestige Construction and another company, Gain Profit, bore primary responsibility for the procurement and use of cheaper, non-retardant nets to replace those damaged by typhoons. Will Power Architects, in turn, was found to have failed in its supervisory role over Prestige.
Further compounding the negligence, Prestige allegedly installed flammable foam boards over windows at the estate. They are accused of falsely assuring the Housing Bureau’s Independent Checking Unit (ICU) that these materials would only be used on three floors at a time, ostensibly to protect windows from construction debris.
Dawes also pointed to the complicity or negligence of other professionals, noting that a registered inspector for Will Power and a fire service installation contractor, China Status, "acted as mere rubber stamps, signing paperwork when required of them."
Government’s "Unshirkable Responsibility"
Despite acknowledging the deliberate deception by contractors, Dawes explicitly stated that the government, including the ICU, Fire Services Department, Buildings Department, and Labour Department, still bore a significant share of the responsibility for the tragedy. His remark was met with audible murmurs of disbelief and even laughter from the public gallery, where some Wang Fuk Court residents had previously expressed skepticism about the government’s claim of being "lied to."
"The government had an unshirkable responsibility to perform its regulatory role and protect the lives of residents," Dawes stated firmly. "We are not suggesting that the government should bear the ultimate responsibility, but it’s only reasonable that the public expects them to perform… [I]t seems there was a major shortfall."
He elaborated that the government’s reliance on an "honour system," which depended on contractors’ self-regulation, effectively left residents "without oversight." "In uncritically relying on the good faith of those it regulated, the bodies charged with regulation left obvious fire hazards uninvestigated and unaddressed."
Evidence presented included ICU’s advance inspection notices, which provided contractors with opportunities to prepare for checks. Dawes also highlighted the ICU’s failure to detect that fireproof windows had been removed from emergency stairwells to create openings for contractors. This oversight, he argued, meant that crucial on-site spot checks were not conducted, a critical lapse in safety protocol.
Recommendations for Future Prevention
In an effort to prevent similar tragedies, Dawes proposed several recommendations. He suggested strengthening and broadening the scope of the Urban Renewal Authority’s Smart Tender Scheme to combat collusive tendering. Furthermore, he called for mandatory disclosure of companies’ litigation records and reforms to proxy voting rules. These measures aim to create a more transparent and accountable system, deterring the kind of fraudulent practices that contributed to the Wang Fuk Court disaster.
Acknowledging the Victims and Lessons Learned
In concluding his submission, Dawes extended his gratitude to the residents of Wang Fuk Court for their cooperation and assistance throughout the hearings. He paid a solemn tribute to the 168 individuals who perished, emphasizing that "the lessons of this tragedy will be painful, but it is only through confronting them that we can make our home a safer place." He specifically acknowledged the residents who testified, some while still grieving and others blaming themselves for failings that were not their own.
In line with practices from previous inquiries into major Hong Kong tragedies, Dawes stressed the importance of including a full list of the deceased in the committee’s formal records, stating, "We honour their memory." The committee’s published documents included a comprehensive list of the victims.
Judge David Lok, chairing the probe, acknowledged the immense effort involved and stated that the committee would continue to process evidence. Testimonies and relevant documents will be uploaded to the committee’s website, provided they do not impede ongoing criminal investigations. "This is how we do justice to those who perished in the fire," Lok remarked, bringing the hearings to a close. "Once again, we thank everyone for participating in the hearing."
The Wang Fuk Court fire serves as a devastating reminder of the critical importance of robust regulatory oversight, ethical conduct in the construction industry, and the profound responsibility governments bear in safeguarding the lives and well-being of their citizens. The findings and recommendations from this inquiry are expected to shape future safety regulations and construction practices in Hong Kong, aiming to ensure that such a catastrophic loss of life is never repeated.
Sagoh
Evan Lee Salim
