Tai Po blaze hearing: property firm failed to identify, follow up on fire hazards

ISS property officer Cheng Tsz-ying (centre) leaves the hearing on Thursday.

Photo: Elson Li An employee of the property management firm at Hong Kong’s inferno-ravaged Wang Fuk Court housing estate has admitted the company failed in its contractual obligations to identify and follow up on fire hazards, while none of its top management testified at an evidential hearing into the disaster.

The eighth day of the hearing by the independent committee investigating the November 26 blaze that claimed 168 lives centred on Cheng Tsz-ying, a property officer at ISS EastPoint, the property management company for the Tai Po estate that was undergoing extensive renovations at the time of the fire.

Cheng on Thursday testified about the deactivation of fire alarms, the removal of fireproof windows from emergency staircases and workers’ smoking habits on site.

These issues were among six “human factors” identified in the opening statement of the committee’s lead counsel, Victor Dawes, as contributing to the scale of the deadliest fire in Hong Kong since 1948.

Dawes told the hearing on Thursday that more senior ISS staff had declined to testify.

He said to Cheng: “You might not be the most suitable person to speak about the fire safety duties of ISS, but please understand that you are the most suitable one among our witnesses.” Chung Kit-man, director of Victory Fire Engineering, Photo: Elson Li Citing the contract between ISS and Wang Fuk Court, Dawes noted the firm’s contractual responsibilities included identifying fire risks during security patrols, recording and looking into complaints, and following up with government departments.

Cheng agreed.

But Cheng said ISS did not realise that movable wooden panels installed in emergency staircases – which allowed workers to step onto scaffolding from buildings – were fire hazards after Dawes noted such panels enabled thick smoke to pour into the staircases after the fire broke out.

The panels, which replaced fireproof windows, were installed during the estate’s HK$336 million (US$43 million) renovation project.

The main contractor for the project was Prestige Construction and Engineering with Will Power Architects appointed as the consultant.

Dawes asked if ISS “lacked vigilance” in noting the risks posed by the panels.

Cheng replied: “The project hired Will Power as the consultant and we trusted that it was professional.” The fire swept through seven of Wang Fuk Court’s eight high-rise towers.

Photo: Jonathan Wo

原文链接: 南华早报