Subcontractor 'I Don't Know' Responses Deepen Mystery in Hung Fuk Estate Fire Probe
HK01 · 3 SOURCES1 day ago3 MIN
Summary
The independent commission probing the fatal fire at Tai Po Hung Fuk Estate in Tai Po has published a new batch of written responses from contractors involved in the estate's major renovation works. Subcontractor Ming Wong Maintenance Engineering, responsible for exterior wall repairs at Hung To House, provided terse replies to critical questions about fire safety practices, with its head Zhang Minghai repeatedly stating he did not know details about materials and procedures used on site. The responses expose gaps in accountability between multiple layers of contractors and subcontractors during the renovation that preceded the disaster.
Key Points
- Ming Wong's Zhang Minghai confirmed the use of polystyrene boards to seal windows was instructed by Hung Yip Construction on January 16, 2025, the first day of works, but claimed he did not know details about material procurement, fire-retardant properties, suppliers, or delivery procedures .
- The subcontractor acknowledged participating in removing windows from floors 5, 10, 15, 21, and 27 at Hung To House to create openings leading to scaffolding, describing it as standard industry practice following a template from the 15th floor .
- Ming Wong stated it obtained the subcontract through oral agreement with a company called Cheng Zao Engineering, and denied having any formal contract with main contractor Hung Yip Construction, raising questions about procurement and accountability .
- Authorized Person Lai Ka-wing and registered structural engineer Zik Wu-kin both told the commission that the original stairwell windows lacked fire or smoke resistance, and therefore the openings created and the original windows were equivalent from a fire safety perspective .
- The commission is investigating whether safety shortcuts during the renovation contributed to the rapid spread of smoke and flames through stairwells during the fire that occurred last year .
Why It Matters
The repeated denials of knowledge from contractors about basic material specifications and safety procedures underscore systemic accountability gaps in Hong Kong's building maintenance industry, where verbal agreements and unclear chains of command may have compromised fire safety at a residential estate where lives were lost. The commission's findings could prompt regulatory reforms affecting how large-scale estate renovations are supervised and how responsibility flows between main contractors and their sub-contractors.
The repeated denials of knowledge from contractors about basic material specifications and safety procedures underscore systemic accountability gaps in Hong Kong's building maintenance industry, where verbal agreements and unclear chains of command may have compromised fire safety at a residential estate where lives were lost. The commission's findings could prompt regulatory reforms affecting how large-scale estate renovations are supervised and how responsibility flows between main contractors and their sub-contractors.