By Dr. Kevin Lau
A fire that claimed innocent lives tests not only a city's emergency response capacity but also its government's resolve to take responsibility and pursue reform. On 29 October, the government released the report of the Independent Committee established to investigate the Tai Po Wang Fuk Court fire. On the same day, the Chief Executive, leading the relevant Secretaries and Directors of Bureaus, convened a press conference to announce a series of reforms and the launch of disciplinary investigations. The release of this report marks the transition of the aftermath work from emergency resettlement to the institutional stage of accountability and root-cause reform—a significance that must not be underestimated.
First, the investigation process was characterized by rigor and impartiality. The Chief Executive announced the establishment of the Independent Committee on 12 December 2025, which formally commenced work on 19 December, holding a total of 30 hearings and hearing oral testimony from 80 factual and expert witnesses, as well as submissions from the legal representatives of the parties involved. The Committee also examined written submissions from various persons and organizations, ultimately obtaining over one million files exceeding two trillion bytes of data. With an evidential foundation of such scale, the findings are built to withstand scrutiny. The report is objective and impartial and deserves full recognition.
What deserves even greater attention is the speed, depth, and transparency of the accountability exercise. Accountability was pursued simultaneously at the political, administrative, and criminal levels. Politically, the Secretary for Housing, Ms Wai-ling HO (Ho Wing-yin), tendered her resignation to the Chief Executive, who, in accordance with Article 48(5) of the Basic Law, has reported to the Central People's Government recommending her removal from office; the Deputy Financial Secretary, Mr Christopher WAI (Wai Lun-wong), has assumed the post of Acting Secretary for Housing since 29 October. Administratively, the two-tier administrative accountability investigation mechanism under the "Director of Bureau responsibility system" has been activated, with cases referred to the Public Service Commission for evidence-gathering investigations under the Public Service Commission (Investigations) Regulation (Cap. 93B), with a completion deadline set at three months. At the criminal level, the Police and the Independent Commission Against Corruption have so far prosecuted seven individuals and two companies on a total of 25 charges; the Labour Department has laid 25 prosecutions; the Buildings Department has laid 259 prosecutions against four individuals and two companies; and the Fire Services Department has laid 12 prosecutions.
The Independent Committee on the Wang Fuk Court fire completed its report in approximately ten months, and the Government initiated disciplinary investigations on the very day the report was made public, with political and administrative accountability proceeding in parallel. This approach—lawful, fact-based, and commensurate between responsibility and penalty—demonstrates the SAR Government's serious and responsible attitude and answers the public's earnest expectation of fairness and justice.
That said, accountability is only the starting point; reform is the fundamental solution. The fire exposed loopholes in the building maintenance system and unclear regulatory responsibilities—many of them deep-seated institutional problems accumulated over a long period, which can only be thoroughly resolved through systemic reform. The government has put forward seven measures: legislating against bid-rigging in building maintenance works; establishing an inter-departmental task force to combat related offenses; setting up a Building Maintenance Support and Services Authority; reforming the operation and regulatory regime of building maintenance; reforming the structure of regulatory departments; establishing a central data system and reforming the complaint mechanism; and establishing a steering committee led by the Chief Secretary for Administration—a comprehensive, mutually reinforcing package that treats both symptoms and root causes.
Since the disaster, the government has invested substantial manpower, material resources, and funding in the resettlement and support of affected residents. The aftermath work has been robust and effective, and accountability and reform have been decisive and well-ordered—creating favorable conditions for Hong Kong to concentrate on pursuing economic growth and development and resolving deep-seated contradictions. At this critical juncture, all sectors of society should stand united in supporting the government in implementing the full package of reform measures so that the deceased may rest in peace, the living may find reassurance, and Hong Kong may emerge from this tragedy stronger and steadier than before.
The author is the founding convenor of the Hong Kong Global Youth Professional Advocacy Action, a specialist in radiology, a master of public administration, a master of public health of the University of Hong Kong, and an adviser of the Our Hong Kong Foundation.
The views do not necessarily reflect those of DotDotNews.
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