Hong Kong's Fire Services Department has formed a new steering committee to assess operational strategies for major fire incidents following the deadly blaze at Wang Fuk Court in Tai Po. The inferno, the city's worst in decades, killed 168 people and displaced around 5,000 residents.
Director of Fire Services Andy Yeung Yan-kin announced on Tuesday that his deputy for operations, Derek Armstrong Chan, will lead a new steering committee within the department to evaluate strategies. The committee aims to assess the operational effectiveness for mega-scale fire incidents and identify improvements.
"[The steering committee will] evaluate the operational effectiveness for these mega-scale fire incidents and how to improve," Yeung said at a press briefing on the department's work over the past year. It will also examine the use of advanced tools, personnel deployment, and protective equipment for firefighters.
The blaze tore through seven of the eight residential towers at Wang Fuk Court in Tai Po, killing 168 people and displacing around 5,000 residents. One firefighter died, and 12 others were among the 79 injured in the incident.