The Independent Committee in relation to the Wang Fuk Court fire has concluded its fourth round of hearings, exposing deeply rooted negligence and systemic failures across the building maintenance industry. In response to the glaring safety gaps, the government has preemptively rolled out a comprehensive six-point reform plan to overhaul industry regulations and prevent future tragedies.

Over the course of 24 hearings and testimonies from 77 witnesses, the committee uncovered a chain of critical safety lapses involving five key parties.
Contractors and subcontractors were found to have used highly flammable styrofoam despite the known risks and illegally modified fire escapes for worker access.

This was compounded by fire service contractors acting as "rubber stamps," with some directors admitting they never once visited the site while fire systems were disabled.

Furthermore, engineering consultants were accused of providing negligible supervision and engaging in potential bid-rigging through abnormally low contract prices.

Even property management and the Owners’ Corporation failed their duties, with staff ignoring fire hazards and rushing simultaneous construction across eight blocks without any viable emergency preparations.

To address these systemic issues, the government is shifting away from industry self-regulation toward a more rigid oversight model.

Starting in December 2025, authorities will implement mandatory inspections every four months for large-scale projects and utilize tech-driven random audits to eliminate the possibility of falsified records or pre-arranged "clean" inspections. Registered inspectors will now be legally required to submit formal supervision plans, facing potential prosecution for negligence.

Safety will be further tightened through mandatory material testing and a total ban on combustible exterior materials like styrofoam. To minimize cumulative hazards, multi-block estates will be legally required to phase their construction rather than working on all buildings at once. Finally, enhanced inter-departmental collaboration between the Buildings, Fire, and Labour departments will ensure a unified front in enforcement and risk identification.

Judge David Lok Kai-hong, chairman of the Independent Committee in relation to the fire at Wang Fuk Court, announced that the Committee has made ideal progress over four and a half months while completing its fourth round of 24 hearings. Lok emphasized the committee’s determination to pursue the facts, stating they dare to investigate everything.

Addressing concerns about possible bid-rigging or misconduct in major maintenance projects across Hong Kong, Lok said evidence presented so far has not confirmed any widespread irregularities or overbidding. He noted that testimony up to this point was insufficient to draw broad conclusions about citywide practices.

The Committee is now waiting for the government’s inter-departmental fire investigation team to submit its final report in mid-May. It is also monitoring the law enforcement probe into whether the overhaul project at Wang Fuk Court involved unlawful bid-rigging or other illegal activity. In light of these pending reports, Lok announced a temporary suspension of hearings, which are expected to resume in mid-to-late June.

Meanwhile, government departments have already begun implementing reform measures in response to the fire, determined to comprehensively reform to solve this long-standing loophole that has been entangled for many years.