Hong Kong housing secretary resigns as Wang Fuk Court fire inquiry report is released; disciplinary probe launched.
The Hong Kong government on 29 October released the (redacted) report of the independent committee on the Wang Fuk Court fire in Tai Po; parts that could affect criminal prosecutions will be published after court proceedings end. According to RTHK, the committee said the fire was most likely started by a cigarette, that the heavy casualties involved human error or negligence, and that the Housing Bureau's Independent Checking Unit bore greater responsibility, with the Buildings Department, Fire Services and Labour Department also falling short in regulating fire risks. It recommended an immediate ban on flammable foam materials on windows and facades and a steering committee to oversee reforms. Chief Executive John Lee said Housing Secretary Winnie Ho had made no personal error but should bear political responsibility; he accepted her resignation, suspended her from duty with immediate effect and asked the central government to remove her, with Deputy Financial Secretary Michael Wong as acting secretary. Lee also launched a two-tier administrative accountability probe by the Public Service Commission, to be completed within three months. AP reported that Lee apologised and described the blaze as the city's deadliest in decades.
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