The second round of hearings by a judge-led independent committee investigating the deadly Wang Fuk Court fire began on Wednesday.

An executive of the ravaged Tai Po residential complex’s fire service contractor told the panel he had skipped on-site checking on the condition of the estate’s fire service water tanks because he was “too busy”.

During the eight sessions held since March 19, the committee probing the blaze that claimed 168 lives in November last year heard testimonies from more than 30 witnesses on the cause of the inferno and related systemic failures.

The panel’s lead counsel, Victor Dawes, told the first hearing on March 19 there were six “human factors” that were likely to have magnified the disaster’s deadly scale. They included deactivation of the fire alarm and an inoperative fire hose system, believed to be linked to a major maintenance project being carried at the estate at the time of the blaze.

The committee also heard during a previous hearing that the fire service water tanks in the estate had been emptied before the disaster for maintenance purposes.

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Chung Kit-man, director of Victory Fire Engineering -- a fire services equipment contractor for Wang Fuk Court -- and a witness told the committee on Wednesday that three days after its annual inspection on April 13 last year, the company had revisited the estate to fix an alleged burst pipe -- a judgment he based on photos sent back by on-site colleagues.

In a certificate sent to the Fire Services Department, Chung listed a “lack of water” in the court’s fire service water tanks as a defect.

Tong Hing-lun -- a plumber with Victory Fire Engineering who took the stand before Chung -- said he had checked the tanks at three towers of the estate -- Wang Yan, Wang Tao and Wang Sun -- when carrying out pipework there on Oct 16 and 17. “There wasn’t even a drop of water,” he said.

As for the other five blocks’ fire tanks, Tong said that instead of inspecting the tanks personally, he learned they did not have water solely from Lam Man-yan -- a technical officer with the estate manager ISS EastPoint Properties -- that they did not have water.  

Tong said he subsequently reported the matter to Chung.

During the hearing, committee counsel Lee Shu-wun told Chung that he, as a management member of the fire service contractor, did not attend the March 2025 annual inspection in person, was not there in April when the pipe allegedly burst, and wasn’t on site either during repair work carried out in October or November last year.

“You relied entirely on your colleagues to tell you what happened,” he told Chung who agreed.

“You relied on what you were told. Your colleagues relied on what they were told. As a licensed fire services contractor, do you think this approach is appropriate? Does it fulfil your duty?,” Lee asked.

Chung replied it was “not ideal”, adding:  “Maybe, I was really too busy. I probably should have spent more time on it.”

READ MORE: Fire water tanks were dry during HK blaze

Wednesday’s hearing also dealt with a WhatsApp conversation between Chung and Cheng Tsz-ying -- a property officer with ISS EastPoint Properties at Wang Fuk Court.

Cheng told Chung on Oct 28 that all the rooftop fire tanks at the estate’s eight blocks had been refilled, with photographs sent in the messages showing the tanks filled with water.

Chung testified he noted at that time that the photos appeared to be months old and had suspected the tanks had been refilled, but said he had never sent any staff member to verify the situation although he wanted to.

He also conceded he had not asked ISS EastPoint for details about how the fire services system was being maintained throughout the renovation project.

The hearing continues on Wednesday afternoon.

Contact the writer at wanqing@chinadailyhk.com