Tai Po fire probe: Housing Bureau minor works team surveyor testifies
發佈日期: 2026-05-07 20:08
TVB News
As the independent committee inquiry looking into the fire at Wang Fuk Court in Tai Po continues its hearing, testifying today was another senior maintenance surveyor from the Housing Bureau's Independent Checking Unit.
The second senior maintenance surveyor to take the stand from the Housing Bureau's Independent Checking Unit was Nick Yung, who heads the Minor Works team.
He said under the current mechanism, there is no requirement for regular inspections unless they receive complaints and inquiries.
But complaints raised by residents about scaffolding netting and foam boards used to seal windows do not fall under the Minor Works team's responsibilities, according to Yung.
He said these should be handled by the inspection team, which includes another ICU senior maintenance surveyor -- Ku Siu-ping, who testified on Wednesday.
Yung described this as a division of labour.
On the renovation works at Wang Fuk Court, the ICU received 48 minor works applications.
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 explained the classification is determined by the site monitoring unit, which mainly oversees new construction, demolition, alterations and additions.
He added large-scale maintenance typically follows the original design with minor surface changes, making it less complex -- and therefore categorized as a Class II (minor) project.
Still, he acknowledged that when work extends to an entire building, the risks become significantly higher.
On the issue of temporary openings in the rear staircase, Yung said his unit believed the openings were windows with temporary protective measures and did not think they were used for access.
When shown a photo indicating the opening had a lock and warning signs advising against climbing out, Yung was asked whether the boarded-up window had gone beyond a protective function.
He said they initially thought it was simply a damaged window.
He acknowledged that such openings are clearly illegal and that the current system has serious flaws.
