The independent inquiry into Hong Kong’s deadly Wang Fuk Court fire has submitted its report to the government, but its findings will not be made public immediately.
The judge-led committee confirmed on Thursday (22 October) that it had completed its work and delivered the report to Chief Executive John Lee. It held 30 days of evidential hearings, heard from 80 factual and expert witnesses, and examined more than one million files comprising over two terabytes of material.
The fire struck the Wang Fuk Court residential complex in Tai Po in November 2025, killing 168 people, according to Hong Kong police. The buildings were undergoing major renovation work, bringing construction safety, external protection and the oversight of maintenance projects into sharp focus.
In a statement issued after receiving the report, Lee said the government intended to pursue reforms to the supervision of building maintenance work, building management and regulation of fire-service installations. Detailed proposals and decisions on accountability have not yet been announced.
Report not yet public
The government said it would seek legal advice before releasing the report. Some people connected with the fire face criminal charges, and officials say publication must be handled in a way that does not prejudice those proceedings.
The committee’s remit included examining the fire’s rapid spread, construction safety during renovation work, the adequacy of materials standards and the supervision of contractors and other parties. Those subjects are directly relevant to the scaffolding and access sector, particularly the use of protective netting and temporary facade coverings.
However, the report itself has not been released. It would be premature to attribute any particular finding on scaffold netting, bamboo scaffolding, individual contractors or regulatory bodies to the committee.
The next development will be the government’s decision on publication and the detail of any proposed changes to safety rules for building maintenance and renovation projects.
