Labour dept admits no follow-up on smoking complaints before deadly fire
發佈日期: 2026-04-21 22:00
TVB News
The public hearing on the Wang Fuk Court fire in Tai Po continued today.
A Labour Department representative testified that officers did not follow up on complaints of workers smoking as they couldn't see anyone actually smoking when they inspected the site.
The officers referred the matter to the Fire Services Department later on.
The third round of public hearing into the devastating fire continued at the City Gallery in Central.
The Independent Committee heard testimony from staff from the Labour Department, including Lam Sau-ching, a former occupational safety officer who handled residents' complaints before the blaze.
Lam testified that the department received complaints of worker smoking on the site before the fire.
The department conducted 17 inspections.
She said no workers were seen smoking on site, so the department did not follow up on the complaints.
The Independent Committee's Counsel Lee Shu-wun asked why a complaint received in July last year was referred to the Fire Services Department after the inspection.
Lam explained it was because the complainant's allegations appeared to involve violations of the Fire Services Ordinance.
Regarding the fire retardancy of the scaffolding netting, Lam said the contractor had submitted a fire retardant certificate during the renovation.
The department also received another certificate from the contractor in November last year.
Li said the two documents were in fact the same.
Lam said she did not notice that.
The afternoon session heard testimony from Chief Occupational Safety Officer Yuen Tsz-lok, who said officers usually verify certificates by checking with laboratories, but there is little the department can do if someone "deliberately deceives."
Li also brought up issues on how government departments dealt with resident complaints.
As far back in October 2023, some of the estate's residents had raised concerns to the government about the scaffolding materials and workplace safety issues.
The reports were passed to the Building Department, and then the Housing Bureau.
Li Man-pong, a senior divisional occupational safety officer said construction material was not a focus of the Labour Department's inspection. Officers, therefore, did not follow up.
The public hearing will continue tomorrow.
