An independent committee led by a judge will investigate the cause of the devastating fire at Wang Fuk Court in Tai Po, Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu has announced.

One of the city’s deadliest fires, the blaze broke out on Wednesday and lasted for 43 hours. As of Monday, 151 residents had perished in the inferno, while 40 are still receiving hospital treatment.

At the media briefing before the weekly Executive Council meeting, Lee listed eight stages where serious negligence had occurred and the systematic reforms required, including safety during the buildings’ repair works and relevant standards for daily maintenance; the potential for conflicts of interest or collusion among parties; and the thoroughness of materials lists and the effectiveness of inspection regimes.

He also highlighted the need to examine the accountability of all relevant roles, including government departments and accredited professionals.

Further areas for scrutiny involve the tendering process for building works, the oversight of building fire safety systems, the determination of liability for the blaze itself, and a review of whether existing legal penalties are a sufficient deterrent.

Lee said he will contact the judicial authority to invite a judge to chair the committee’s work and examine its detailed work scope.

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“Concurrently, I shall explore ways to facilitate the committee’s efficient operation, including how the [HKSAR] government may provide additional materials required by the committee and undertake certain tasks as requested to offer greater support.”

This will assist the committee in completing its work as soon as possible, submitting recommendations and reports to him, and thereby aiding the government in deepening its reforms, Lee added.

Contact the writer at stacyshi@chinadailyhk.com