Govt mandates building management task forces across all districts following deadly Tai Po fire

More than a month after the catastrophic November 26, 2025, blaze at Tai Po's Wang Fuk Court that claimed 161 lives—including one firefighter—and injured 79 others, the Home Affairs Department has mandated all 18 district councils to establish dedicated building management working groups to bolster oversight, support owners' corporations, and inform revisions to the Building Management Ordinance.

The fire, Hong Kong's deadliest in decades, erupted during exterior renovations, rapidly spreading via flammable scaffolding nets across seven of the estate's eight 31-story blocks.

It burned for over 43 hours, highlighting vulnerabilities in aging high-rises amid ongoing maintenance works.

These new task forces, aligned with the current district council term ending December 2027, will partner with government departments to advise property owners' corporations, collect resident feedback on issues like fire safety and water seepage, and promote best practices.

In Tai Po, Business and Professionals Alliance for Hong Kong councillor Lo Hiu-fung, chairing the local group, plans to invite owners' corporations and management firms to discuss challenges in major repairs and project oversight.

Lo stressed targeting chronic problems, including firefighting enhancements and procedural improvements for seepage complaints.

He noted many corporation volunteers are retirees lacking legal expertise, necessitating ordinance updates for greater accessibility and effectiveness.

The groups will bridge residents and authorities, ensuring community input shapes practical reforms.

Lo added that today's meeting discussed post-fire arrangements for Wang Fuk Court residents, emphasizing the importance of giving them a choice—whether rebuilding on the original site, using disposed sites on Chung Nga Road, or constructing new homes in Tai Po Kwong Fuk Park, residents should select the option best suited to their circumstances and preferences.

Democratic Alliance for the Betterment and Progress of Hong Kong lawmaker Elaine Chik Kit-ling, who plans to join the task force in Eastern District, described the initiative as long-planned.

She noted that district councillors already act as bridges between stakeholders, and the new structure will make feedback collection more focused and professional.

Government efforts to improve building management, including training workshops for councillors over the past two years, indicate the policy was already in development before the fire.

Tai Po District Councillor Andrew Lee Man-kit said on a radio program this morning that the working group is primarily advisory in nature.

Matters involving major repairs will be referred to the relevant subcommittees of the district council for discussion.

He noted that in the past, owners' corporations often lacked time to engage with district councillors, and many owners, being elderly, may not know they can seek help from councillors.