Taipo fire probe continues as Housing Bureau minor works team surveyor testifies

已複製連結

The independent committee investigating the fire at Wang Fuk Court in Tai Po continued its hearing. A member of the Housing Bureau's Independent Checking Unit (ICU) testified that openings in the rear staircase were believed to be temporary protective measures or damaged windows. 

The inquiry is continuing to examine whether there was a lack of oversight prior to the blaze.

Senior Maintenance Surveyor Nick Yung from the ICU, who heads the Minor Works team, took the stand. 

He said that under the Minor Works Control System, there is no requirement for regular inspections.

Concerns raised by residents about scaffolding netting and foam boards used to seal windows do not fall under the Minor Works team's responsibilities. These should be handled by the inspection team, which includes another ICU senior maintenance surveyor, Ku Siu-ping. 

Yung described this as a division of labour, noting that two teams would not handle the same issue simultaneously.

Regarding the estate's large-scale maintenance works, the ICU received 48 minor works applications. The committee's Senior Counsel Victor Dawes, questioned why such large-scale repairs involving scaffolding, and the fire risks posed by combustible materials surrounding the building, were still classified as minor works.

Yung explains that the classification is determined by the Site Monitoring Unit, which mainly oversees new construction, demolition, alterations and additions. He said large-scale maintenance typically follows the original design with only minor surface changes, making it less complex and therefore categorized as a Class II (minor) project.  

He adds that during minor works, the team does not conduct active monitoring and only acts upon receiving complaints. However, he acknowledged that when work extends to an entire building, the risks become significantly higher.

More updates tonight on our News at Seven Thirty.