Posts in category: Incidents

Tai Po fire hearing details system failures, oversight gaps and resident testimony

Overview of the incident

The South China Morning Post has reported that an independent committee investigating the Tai Po fire tragedy continued its third day of hearings with testimony from residents and submissions from government and sector representatives.

The fire at Wang Fuk Court in Hong Kong killed 168 people and spread across seven residential blocks during a 43-hour incident in November 2025, making it the deadliest fire in the city in decades.

The inquiry is examining the causes of the blaze, the condition and management of fire safety systems, and the roles played by contractors, regulators and building management.

Key failures identified in earlier evidence

In earlier sessions, the committee’s legal team outlined six contributing factors linked to the fire’s severity and spread.

These included the use of combustible scaffolding mesh, the deactivation of fire alarm systems, removal of fire-resistant windows from emergency staircases and fire hose systems being rendered inoperative.

Additional concerns involved the use of polyfoam boards during renovation works and ongoing smoking activity on site despite repeated complaints from residents.

The fire was described as likely having been ignited by cigarettes interacting with flammable materials within a light well.

The hearing also raised concerns about possible bid-rigging and corruption in the construction sector, with residents potentially misled into selecting a high-cost contractor for renovation works.

Government position and proposed reforms

Government counsel told the committee that authorities aim to assist in establishing a full account of the incident and acknowledged that deficiencies exist within current regulatory frameworks.

Officials indicated that reforms are under consideration across policymaking, inspection regimes, enforcement and emergency response coordination.

Under the existing minor works system, contractors are not required to submit architectural plans before commencing certain renovation works, including large-scale façade projects.

Proposed changes include requiring independent building professionals to oversee complex works, mandating plan submissions and strengthening site supervision and inspection processes.

Disputes around inspection and oversight

The hearing revisited claims that inspectors may have alerted contractors ahead of site visits, allowing time to conceal the use of non-compliant materials.

Government representatives rejected these claims and questioned whether contractors would have had sufficient time to replace materials across large structures.

Officials also stated that inspectors may not have been able to detect the full extent of combustible materials during site visits, particularly where inspections were limited to accessible areas.

Concerns were also raised regarding earlier complaints from residents about polyfoam boards, with questions over whether these were adequately followed up.

Fire services response and scale of mobilisation

The Fire Services Department response to the incident was described as significantly larger than standard operations.

By the evening of the fire, 174 fire engines, 47 ambulances and approximately 989 firefighters had been deployed.

This level of mobilisation was reported as around nine times that required for a typical major fire incident, reflecting the scale and complexity of the emergency.

Evidence of fire safety system shutdowns

Testimony presented during the hearing indicated that fire pumps and alarm systems had been shut down during maintenance works and not restored.

Main switches controlling both systems were reportedly turned off months before the fire.

Evidence suggested that contractors and maintenance staff were aware of the shutdown, with questions raised about whether proper assessments were carried out and whether systems should have been reactivated.

The hearing also examined whether fire safety contractors identified or acted upon the issue after noticing the systems were inactive.

Gaps in responsibility across authorities

The inquiry heard that several government bodies did not consider themselves responsible for ensuring that construction materials met fire resistance standards.

These included the Labour Department, the Fire Services Department and the Housing Bureau’s Independent Checking Unit.

The division between responsibilities for active systems, such as alarms and hosepipes, and passive measures, such as materials and structural protection, was identified as a key issue.

This lack of clear accountability was highlighted as a contributing factor to the failure of fire safety measures at the estate.

Competition concerns in the construction sector

The Competition Commission described anti-competitive practices in the building maintenance sector as widespread and systemic.

Examples cited included bid-rigging, price-fixing and suppression of tenders.

The commission proposed reforms including lowering the burden of proof in competition cases, introducing criminal penalties for certain offences and applying presumptions in legal proceedings to support enforcement.

Resident testimony on alarm failure and evacuation

Residents who gave evidence consistently stated that they did not hear any fire alarm when the blaze began.

One resident said he attempted to monitor the situation through a home security system and observed others trying to use a fire hose that had no water supply.

Another resident described noticing the loss of television signal and the smell of burning before realising a fire had broken out.

A further witness said she initially mistook smoke entering her flat for dust from renovation work, delaying her response due to the absence of any alarm.

Accounts of rapid fire spread and escape

Witnesses described the fire developing quickly, leaving limited time to evacuate.

Several residents reported escaping within minutes once they recognised the danger, while others described confusion during the early stages of the incident.

Testimony also highlighted the challenges of alerting neighbours, with some residents expressing regret that they were unable to warn others before evacuating.

Emotional impact and perceptions of accountability

Residents described ongoing psychological effects following the incident, including trauma and difficulty adjusting to life after the fire.

Some said they felt as though time had not moved on, while others spoke about feelings of responsibility for not helping more people escape.

Testimony characterised the disaster as avoidable, with residents pointing to failures in communication, coordination and accountability across multiple parties.

Several witnesses described the incident as a “man-made” catastrophe linked to systemic shortcomings rather than isolated errors.

Next steps in the inquiry

The third day of hearings concluded with further witness testimony expected in upcoming sessions.

The committee will continue to examine regulatory frameworks, contractor practices, fire safety system management and the allocation of responsibility across agencies as part of its investigation.