Claims gov’t ‘tipped off’ consultant over safety checks ‘groundless,’ lawyer tells Tai Po fire inquiry

2026-03-24 - 07:32

Accusations that a Housing Bureau inspection unit “tipped off” a renovation consultant at the fire-hit Wang Fuk Court about safety checks were “groundless” and amounted to “prejudgment,” a lawyer for the government has told a public inquiry. Wang Fuk Court buildings on December 29, 2025, one month after the deadly fire. Photo: Kyle Lam/HKFP. The public inquiry into the massive fire that killed 168 people at the Tai Po housing complex in November resumed its hearings on Tuesday morning, with Senior Counsel Jenkin Suen making a submission on behalf of the government. Last week, Victor Dawes, lead counsel for the independent committee tasked with probing the fire, revealed that an officer at the Housing Bureau’s Independent Checking Unit (ICU) had disclosed advance details of safety checks to Will Power Architects, the consultant firm overseeing a major renovation at Wang Fuk Court that began in 2024. Will Power then allegedly alerted Prestige Construction, the main contractor for the renovation. Dawes said the advance notices were “deeply concerning” and had allowed the contractor to “tamper with” non-fire-retardant construction netting before inspectors arrived. ‘Completely groundless’ Suen said on Tuesday that, while the government had pledged to reform shortcomings in its oversight, some media outlets and members of the public had jumped to conclusions before authorities had a chance to be heard. In some media reports, the ICU “was portrayed as tipping off or colluding with the firms,” Suen said in Cantonese. “Such characterisations were completely groundless.” He said there was a practical need for government departments such as the ICU to arrange inspections in advance, as having a representative from the inspected party present would facilitate sampling and allow instant communication. Senior counsel Victor Dawes. File photo: Kyle Lam/HKFP. The advanced notice of the ICU came one day ahead of the actual inspection, he said, urging the public to be “fair” towards all parties involved in the hearings. He added that the ICU’s officers may testify at a later stage during the hearings, but some of them had already been targeted by online doxing and harassment following last week’s sessions. Suen also elaborated on Hong Kong’s regulatory regimes on major renovation works at housing estates, such as the Mandatory Building Inspection Scheme (MBIS) and the three-tier Minor Works Control System (MWCS). The MWCS “aims to facilitate building owners and occupants in carrying out small-scale building works safely and lawfully through simplified requirements,” according to the Buildings Department. Suen said estate renovations are categorised as “minor works” due to their relative simplicity compared with new constructions, with authorities largely relying on the industry self-discipline. Following the blaze, the government is considering tightening scrutiny of major renovation projects by requiring a third-party professional to sign a supervision plan and to submit building plans before work commences, Suen said. Richard Yuen, chair professor of architectural engineering at City University of Hong Kong, will submit an expert report to the inquiry and testify in person if needed, Suen added. Lawyers for the Urban Renewal Authority, the Competition Commission, and ISS EastPoint Properties also addressed the inquiry on Tuesday morning. ISS was in charge of estate management at the time of the fire. The hearing continued in the afternoon.