Hong Kong’s housing secretary has resigned after an investigation into the city’s deadliest fire in decades found serious failures in regulatory oversight. Chief executive John Lee apologised to victims and the public as he announced reforms following the blaze that killed 168 people.
The fire engulfed seven buildings at the Wang Fuk Court apartment complex in a northern suburban district last November, displacing thousands of residents. The buildings were undergoing maintenance work at the time.
Winnie Ho stepped down on Wednesday, Lee said, adding that she should bear political responsibility despite the investigation finding no personal wrongdoing.
Lee and seven other senior officials bowed in apology at the start of a news conference on Thursday. “As the chief executive, I apologize to the disaster victims and the public, and commit to fulfilling my responsibilities to lead the government with full force in resolving problems,” he said.
“Comprehensive reforms will also be carried out. Similar incidents will never be allowed to happen again.”
The independent committee found shortcomings in the supervision carried out by the Housing Bureau’s independent checking unit, the Buildings Department, the Fire Services Department and the Labour Department.
A further three-month investigation will examine whether government employees were derelict in their duties, Lee said. His measures include making bid-rigging in building maintenance projects a criminal offence, changing the way complaints are handled and creating a cross-departmental system for sharing information, including records of violations.
A new organisation will also be established to provide greater support to residents involved in building maintenance projects.
Fire spread through materials used during maintenance work
The committee said a lit cigarette end was likely to have started the fire on the flat roof between two first-floor apartments in Wang Cheong House. It heard substantial evidence that construction workers had smoked at the site, where cigarette butts and partially burned materials including cardboard boxes were found.
Experts concluded that foam boards, non-fire-retardant scaffolding nets and canvases helped the flames spread. Most victims died from smoke inhalation.
Some staircase windows had been replaced with movable aluminium composite panels or wooden boards to make it easier for workers to carry out their duties. Opaque foam boards covered other windows, obstructing views and delaying evacuation, while the fire alarm system had been shut down.
The report said Will Power Architects Company, the consultant for the maintenance project, and Prestige Construction & Engineering Co, the main contractor, had cut corners.
“There is no doubt that they are the main culprits responsible for the occurrence of the inferno and the high fatalities in the tragic incident,” the committee said.
It also found that a number of registered contractors and building professionals had carried out no substantive work, instead allowing their names to be used on statutory forms in return for payment. The report said the private contractors and consultants had deceived regulators.
“Deception succeeded because the regulators’ own practices enabled it,” it said. “The regulator’s reliance on the good faith of the regulated parties left obvious fire hazards uninvestigated.”
The committee said the Housing Bureau’s independent checking unit and the Buildings Department, which were primarily responsible for overseeing the maintenance project, had failed in their supervisory duties.
The checking unit was judged to carry the greater share of responsibility. The report said it had failed to properly investigate the use of foam boards and the fire-retardant quality of scaffolding nets despite several complaints, and had warned consultants and contractors before site inspections.
It also identified numerous signs of bid-rigging and related misconduct at Wang Fuk Court. The committee’s findings are separate from criminal investigations, in which police and anti-corruption authorities have charged seven people and two companies with offences including manslaughter and conspiracy to defraud.
Authorities allege that Will Power and Prestige, along with some of the defendants, conspired to defraud apartment owners by concealing earlier litigation involving the company that was later awarded the renovation contract, worth more than 300 million Hong Kong dollars.
Residents say resignation does not deliver justice
China’s Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office said the government’s response demonstrated responsibility, a people-first approach and a commitment to the rule of law. Beijing’s liaison office in Hong Kong also praised the handling of the disaster.
But Phyllis Lo, whose mother died in the fire, said justice had not yet been served. She said the criminal trial had still not begun and that the resignation of one senior official was insufficient.
“She was not being sacked. She resigned herself,” Lo said, referring to Ho. She added that the officials’ apology had come late, although it was better than nothing.
Dorz Cheung, who was displaced by the fire, said the news conference had focused too heavily on future measures. He said the government should first address outstanding problems faced by residents, including tax issues linked to the purchase of new homes.
“The feeling is just like what a fellow resident said — the press conference only had three takeaways: Sorry. I’ll do better, and it won’t happen again. A minister has stepped down … What more do you want?” he said.
