The safety of polyfoam boards used in the renovation work at Wang Fuk Court — where a deadly fire broke out in November, claiming 168 lives — came under scrutiny on Friday during the second public hearing of the independent committee investigating the fatal blaze.

Founded in December by Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu, the independent committee is tasked with examining the causes and circumstances that led to the fire at Wang Fuk Court in Tai Po and with finding system failures.

Key issues discussed included whether the polyfoam boards that were used were flammable, residents' complaints that were overlooked, and whether the boards blocked windows during the housing estate’s renovation.

Some Wang Fuk Court residents had complained about the polyfoam boards several times to government departments, including the Fire Services Department and the Independent Checking Unit of the Housing Bureau.

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Committee Senior Counsel Victor Dawes said at Friday’s hearing that the management committee (MC) of Wang Fuk Court had received video footage from residents showing that the polyfoam boards were flammable.

Dawes quoted a WhatsApp conversation between Tsui Moon-kam, former chairman of the MC, and Ho Kin-yip, director and operations manager of the main contractor engaged in the renovation work, Prestige Construction and Engineering Co Ltd, in which Tsui inquired whether it would be possible to use "less flammable" materials. Ho replied that the “less flammable" materials could not guarantee flame retardancy, and added that the original material might be replaced if less flammable materials could be ordered.

Dawes said, the conversation showed that both Tsui and Ho were aware that the polyfoam boards did not have a flame retardancy guarantee.

A representative for Prestige Construction said that the polyfoam boards could not be ignited by a cigarette butt, but that the situation might be different if they were exposed to an open flame.  

Dawes said the polyfoam boards ordered after October 2024 were only installed on buildings that had not yet been fitted with boards, and Prestige Construction appears to have used a mix of flame-retardant and non-flame-retardant materials.

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The specifics would need to be explained to the committee by experts, Dawes said, adding that the committee would listen to experts’ opinions to investigate the role of the polyfoam boards in the spread of the blaze, and whether the boards had blocked the view of those inside the buildings, preventing them from seeing the extent of the blaze and thereby affecting their evacuation.

Contact the writer at atlasshao@chinadailyhk.com