Pak Fuk Court fire panel delays report to October
AM730 · 3 SOURCESabout 2 hours ago2 MIN
Summary
The independent committee set up to investigate the Tai Po Pak Fuk Court fire has obtained the Chief Executive’s approval to extend the deadline for its report. Based on its latest progress, the committee now expects to complete its work and submit the report by the end of October.
Key Points
- Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu approved the extension after the committee said it needed more time to analyse a large volume of material.
- The committee said it is still processing written testimony and other incoming information, including more than one million files, while drafting the report.
- From March 19 to July 17 this year, the committee held 30 hearings and heard oral evidence from 80 witnesses, expert reports and submissions from lawyers for involved parties.
- After formally starting work, the committee inspected Pak Fuk Court, and issued two rounds of public invitations for information in January to February and again in March to April
- The committee was announced on December 12 last year to examine the cause of the Pak Fuk Court fire and related issues, with an original target of finishing within nine months of beginning operations.
Why It Matters
The delay means the final findings and recommendations aimed at preventing similar fires will arrive later than first planned. For Hong Kong residents, the report remains a key official account of what happened and what changes may be proposed after a complex, evidence-heavy investigation.