Hongfu Garden Hearing | Government Lawyer: Residential Complex Failed to Report Alarm System Shutdown, ICU Water Connection Claims Unfounded

Taipo Hong Fuk Court Fire Independent Investigation Committee holds its third hearing today. This morning, senior barrister Sun Jingqian, representing the government, delivered the opening statement.

During his speech, Sun Jingqian stated that the Fire Services Department has never received reports that the fire alarm system at Hong Fuk Court was deactivated. He also said that the Housing Authority’s Independent Checking Unit (ICU) personnel patrolling was falsely accused of “informing” or “reporting” without factual basis.

Pre-Arranged Mechanism: Firefighters Dispatched Additional Pumps

Sun Jingqian pointed out that at 2:51 p.m. that afternoon, a fire broke out on the canopy of Hong Cheung Court. Through a pre-arranged mechanism, it was known that the estate was under maintenance, so additional fire engines and rescue vehicles were dispatched. Later, it was discovered that the alarm system was deactivated, prompting the dispatch of another pump, emphasizing that extra measures were taken through established procedures.

He also mentioned that at the time, firefighters faced extremely severe conditions, including narrow stairwells and very high temperatures, which only allowed them to advance upward floor by floor. The fire quickly spread from the platform to upper floors, with large amounts of bamboo scaffolding and debris falling, obstructing residents’ evacuation and firefighters’ entry into the building.

Fire Spread to Level 5; Firefighting Adopted Extraordinary Measures

Sun Jingqian said that the fire spread rapidly and escalated to Level 5. The Fire Services Department adopted “extraordinary” deployment measures, including establishing a command center overseen by an assistant director, and deploying over 174 fire trucks and 989 firefighters—nine times the number typically expected for a Level 5 fire.

He also revealed that all the deactivation notices submitted by the estate previously contained no reports of alarm system deactivation. The “fire alarm” column on the forms was left blank, which he will elaborate on later.

Regarding the first day of the hearing, the committee was informed that ICU patrols had previously notified Hong Ye Construction, with personnel described as “drum-beaters” or “informants.” Sun Jingqian believed these accusations were baseless and deviated from the facts.

ICU Patrols May Require Sampling; Will Schedule with Contractors

He explained that patrols might require sampling, which would be scheduled with the contractors to ensure their presence and immediate response. The actual notification of information was only one day apart from the on-site inspection, which was an effort to minimize delays.

Sun Jingqian pointed out that most of the building inspection plans under the mandatory inspection scheme are simple projects, mostly small-scale, supervised by professionals. The intention was to make it easy for residents to handle, without needing to submit to the Buildings Department, thus reducing costs for owners. For Hong Fuk Court, according to ICU procedures, there is no need for constant inspections during construction; instead, inspections are based on submitted documents before construction and sampling checks after completion.

Multiple Incidents of Scaffold and Net Fires in Past 3 Years; Enforcement Can Be Strengthened

Sun Jingqian also mentioned that over the past three years, there have been several fires involving scaffolding and nets. The government could have strengthened enforcement to prevent such accidents. The relevant departments failed to seize the opportunity, which is a responsibility that must be acknowledged and learned from.