Hong Fook Yuen's First Phase of Hearings: Residents Criticize Key Witnesses for Evading Responsibility and Not Appearing
The first phase of hearings by the independent committee investigating the Hong Kong Hong Fook Yuen fire has concluded. Residents have strongly criticized key figures for evading responsibility and refusing to appear, expressing disappointment over the committee's lack of legal power to summon witnesses. The fire last year resulted in 168 deaths.
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- 📰 Published: May 9, 2026 at 17:18
- 🔍 Collected: May 9, 2026 at 17:31 (13 min after Published)
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Central News Agency reporter Chen Kai-yu, Taipei, 9th) The independent committee investigating the Hong Kong Hong Fook Yuen fire has completed the first phase of 24 hearings. Residents criticized that many key figures, such as the consultant company for the Hong Fook Yuen major renovation, the persons in charge of the engineering company, and DAB District Councillor Wong Pik-kiu, have shirked responsibility and refused to attend the hearings. The committee also lacks the legal power to summon witnesses, which has caused disappointment.
A major fire occurred in the Hong Fook Yuen community in Hong Kong in November last year, resulting in 168 deaths. Subsequently, the Hong Kong government established an independent committee to investigate the cause of the fire. The independent committee began its work in March and held 24 hearings until May 8th, with attendees including residents and representatives from various government departments. The hearings will resume in late June.
Resident Dorz personally attended the hearings four times, hoping to gain a deeper understanding of the fire's cause. He told the Central News Agency that many key figures, including Hong Yi, the consulting company responsible for the major renovation of Hong Fook Yuen, the person in charge of Hong Ye Engineering Company, DAB District Councillor Wong Pik-kiu, and former Hong Fook Yuen Owners' Corporation chairman Tang Kwok-kuen, have refused to appear at the hearings to testify, which he finds absurd and disappointing.
According to what Senior Counsel Du Gan-kun, representing the independent committee, previously mentioned at the hearings, after the major renovation project began, residents discovered issues such as people smoking on the construction site, foam sealing windows, scaffolding nets possibly not being flame-retardant, and the alarm system being out of service for half a year.
In addition, a resident who testified at the hearing pointed out that Wong Pik-kiu, the DAB District Councillor who served as a consultant for the Hong Fook Yuen Owners' Corporation at the time, collected a large number of "proxy votes" for residents to vote on the selection of an engineering company. According to previous Hong Kong media reports, Wong Pik-kiu refused to attend the hearing and only submitted written testimony.
Dorz stated that these key figures not attending the hearings "don't even give themselves a chance to defend themselves, showing no sense of responsibility." He said that the independent committee also has no legal power to summon witnesses, which is like "letting these people off the hook."
Dorz expressed his belief that the final investigation report of the independent committee may not fully present the truth of the fire, but at least it will allow everyone to see the institutional imbalance facing Hong Kong and raise public awareness.
He said he hopes that those who violated the law can be brought to justice, "but I believe the chances are very slim."
The independent committee established by the Hong Kong government after the Hong Fook Yuen fire differs from previous "statutory inquiry committees" established after major disasters in that the former lacks statutory powers, while the latter has statutory powers to summon witnesses and collect evidence. Concerns were previously raised that this would hinder the independent committee's investigation.
When Hong Kong Chief Executive John Lee established the Hong Fook Yuen independent committee last year, he stated that if the independent committee, during its work, believes it needs statutory powers to investigate specific issues or individual aspects, it can make recommendations to the Chief Executive.
According to an article published by Hong Kong's Ming Pao on May 8th, the independent committee currently has no intention of transforming into a "statutory inquiry committee." (Editor: Chou Hui-ying) 1150509
A major fire occurred in the Hong Fook Yuen community in Hong Kong in November last year, resulting in 168 deaths. Subsequently, the Hong Kong government established an independent committee to investigate the cause of the fire. The independent committee began its work in March and held 24 hearings until May 8th, with attendees including residents and representatives from various government departments. The hearings will resume in late June.
Resident Dorz personally attended the hearings four times, hoping to gain a deeper understanding of the fire's cause. He told the Central News Agency that many key figures, including Hong Yi, the consulting company responsible for the major renovation of Hong Fook Yuen, the person in charge of Hong Ye Engineering Company, DAB District Councillor Wong Pik-kiu, and former Hong Fook Yuen Owners' Corporation chairman Tang Kwok-kuen, have refused to appear at the hearings to testify, which he finds absurd and disappointing.
According to what Senior Counsel Du Gan-kun, representing the independent committee, previously mentioned at the hearings, after the major renovation project began, residents discovered issues such as people smoking on the construction site, foam sealing windows, scaffolding nets possibly not being flame-retardant, and the alarm system being out of service for half a year.
In addition, a resident who testified at the hearing pointed out that Wong Pik-kiu, the DAB District Councillor who served as a consultant for the Hong Fook Yuen Owners' Corporation at the time, collected a large number of "proxy votes" for residents to vote on the selection of an engineering company. According to previous Hong Kong media reports, Wong Pik-kiu refused to attend the hearing and only submitted written testimony.
Dorz stated that these key figures not attending the hearings "don't even give themselves a chance to defend themselves, showing no sense of responsibility." He said that the independent committee also has no legal power to summon witnesses, which is like "letting these people off the hook."
Dorz expressed his belief that the final investigation report of the independent committee may not fully present the truth of the fire, but at least it will allow everyone to see the institutional imbalance facing Hong Kong and raise public awareness.
He said he hopes that those who violated the law can be brought to justice, "but I believe the chances are very slim."
The independent committee established by the Hong Kong government after the Hong Fook Yuen fire differs from previous "statutory inquiry committees" established after major disasters in that the former lacks statutory powers, while the latter has statutory powers to summon witnesses and collect evidence. Concerns were previously raised that this would hinder the independent committee's investigation.
When Hong Kong Chief Executive John Lee established the Hong Fook Yuen independent committee last year, he stated that if the independent committee, during its work, believes it needs statutory powers to investigate specific issues or individual aspects, it can make recommendations to the Chief Executive.
According to an article published by Hong Kong's Ming Pao on May 8th, the independent committee currently has no intention of transforming into a "statutory inquiry committee." (Editor: Chou Hui-ying) 1150509