Departments must communicate better, fire chief tells Tai Po blaze hearing

But Director of Fire Services Andy Yeung insists authorities have clear divisions of work for supervision of renovation projects

Hong Kong’s fire services chief has acknowledged that better communication with building authorities is needed after an independent committee earlier revealed that his officers had taken no action against possible safety breaches during renovations at Wang Fuk Court, where 168 people were killed in last year’s inferno.

But Director of Fire Services Andy Yeung Yan-kin insisted on Friday that authorities had clear divisions of work when it came to the supervision of renovation projects, even as the use of flammable materials at the estate in Tai Po had gone unregulated before the blaze.

“We’ll take action against polyfoam boards and temporary openings [at evacuation routes], but the work is divided,” he told the independent committee investigating the disaster. “We know what we’re doing.”

He said building authorities, including the Buildings Department and the Housing Bureau’s Independent Checking Unit, were responsible for overseeing building structural safety, whereas the Fire Services Department monitored the operation of fire installations.

“This is very clear. If we interfere, our roles may overlap,” he added.

Mr Justice David Lok Kai-hong, the committee’s chairman, pointed out that the Buildings Department might not be able to identify all fire hazards at construction sites.