The Independent Committee investigating the Wang Fuk Court No. 5 alarm fire in Tai Po has released multiple reports and expert testimonies, revealing that the fire spread from outside the building inward and was likely caused by a discarded cigarette butt.
Government chemist Lee Wing-man, head of the Forensic Science Division of the Government Laboratory, presented photos showing exterior walls of Wang Cheong House were significantly more damaged than interior walls, with concrete spalling from prolonged high temperatures. Lee said this proved the fire spread from outside to inside, rather than starting from within the unit.
Photos from the podium light well, believed to be the source of the fire, showed large quantities of packaging materials including cardboard, plastic bags and sheets, along with multiple cigarette butts. After排除 other potential causes including electrical short circuits and spontaneous combustion, experts concluded the fire was likely ignited by an unattended cigarette butt.
