Wang Fuk fire: ICU to bear the most onus, regulation loopholes flagged

The Wang Fuk Court blaze brought to light a slew of regulatory loopholes and division of labour issues among government departments. Among them, the Housing Bureau's Independent Checking Unit or ICU has been singled out as bearing the most responsibility towards the situation. Also flagged are the Buildings Department and Labour Department for their alleged neglect of duties. Wang Fuk Court first welcomed its residents in 1983 as a Home Ownership Scheme project under the Housing Authority. The building works were authorised by the Buildings Department, and followed up by the Housing Bureau's Independent Checking Unit and the independent committee looking into the blaze has named the ICU as shouldering unshirkable onus.

ICU's Senior Maintenance Surveyor Andy Ku Siu-ping, Head of ICU's minor works team Nick Yung Siu-lun, and Lau Fu-kwok -- who helmed the ICU at the time of the fire appeared in the hearings. In his testimony, Ku admitted before the fatal fire, only 16 inspection reports were randomly reviewed each month. The reports' veracity depended on contractors' declaration and on-site audits mainly relied on visual inspection and were conducted on selected floors. Ku also admitted that inspectors should not have given advance notice to contractors about upcoming site audits. However, he disagreed that would allow time for contractor to replace the flame-retardant netting because the notice was only one day in advance. The inspection locations were also not disclosed.

After a major typhoon, Prestige Construction & Engineering replaced Wang Fuk Court's scaffolding netting. The ICU conducted on-site flammability tests. Footage showed the mesh burned for 15 seconds before being blown out, meaning it was not flame-retardant. Only after re-inspection, the net was tested to be flame-retardant. On complaints over the use of polyfoam boards to seal the windows, Ku said he was unclear about the windows' conditions during inspections because it was covered by scaffolding nets. He said he had inquired with a Buildings Department consultant and was told that polyfoam boards were not regulated. But the consultant later testified that Ku only made verbal inquiries, without specifying which estate and presenting housing plans.

Meanwhile, Nick Yung -- who headed the minor works team, said if no complaints are received, no inspections are required under established mechanisms. He said that even if complaints occur, it's under the purview of the building inspection team. An interdepartmental disagreement flared up after the Buildings Department revised inspection guidelines but the ICU was unaware, according to Yung. It was only after the blaze that he learned that in 2023, the Buildings Department required random on-site inspections, covering at least 20% of minor works. The Buildings Department also admitted it did not spot check the work of the ICU mandatory building inspection team.

On the controversy over scaffolding nets, the ICU, Labour Department and Buildings Department all acknowledge that they only verify certificates submitted by contractors on whether they come from approved labs. If contractors deliberately forged the documents, there was nothing they can do.

On the issues of workers smoking on site, the Labour Department conducted 17 site checks but found no smoking or cigarette butts among workers, so no further action was taken. At that time, a foam board was not defined as a flammable material on construction sites, so a smoking ban could not be issued.