Key facts
- An independent committee's report on the Tai Po fire is expected to identify the Fire Services Department as responsible.
- Security Secretary Chris Tang pledged legal reforms and accountability.
- Chief Executive John Lee stated the government will implement comprehensive reforms and pursue accountability.
- The fire at Wang Fuk Court claimed 168 lives.
- The committee's report is due by the end of October.
Hong Kong's Security Secretary Chris Tang has vowed to pursue legal reforms and hold parties accountable following a deadly fire in Tai Po, as an independent committee's report is expected to assign responsibility to the Fire Services Department. The judge-led committee submitted its final report to the government on Tuesday, with its findings anticipated to point to the department's role in fire safety.
Chief Executive John Lee stated that the government is prepared to implement comprehensive reforms and pursue accountability based on the report's contents, which is due by the end of October. He also noted measures already taken in the aftermath of the blaze at Wang Fuk Court, which claimed 168 lives, including a smoking ban on construction sites and a vetted list of qualified contractors. Lee has also directed the Development Bureau to enhance regulatory oversight and penalties for malpractice in construction works.