Hong Kong's independent committee inquiring into the deadly Wang Fuk Court fire—the city's worst since 1948—heard that government surveyors followed outdated guidelines during renovations, forgoing in-person checks and overlooking risks like illegal alterations to emergency passages in the HK$336 million project.
The public evidential hearing on Monday revealed inconsistent understanding of inspection rules and legal provisions among building officials.
Surveyors relied on guidelines that did not mandate examining minor construction works on site at the Tai Po subsidised housing estate. This allowed illegal changes to emergency passages during the exterior overhaul to go undetected longer.
The November 26 blaze killed 168 people across seven of eight towers, displacing nearly 5,000 residents.
A retired surveyor rejected a former colleague's 'unfair' claim that he had incorrectly stated polyfoam material used in renovations was unregulated.
The committee has previously heard evidence of other fire hazards in the project, such as substandard scaffolding mesh, polyfoam boards, and temporary openings at emergency staircases.
