The Government is powerless to identify all cage homes that are fire traps, an official admitted yesterday.
Secretary for Home Affairs David Lan Hong-tsung said after visiting victims of the Cross Street blaze at Queen Mary Hospital that it was impossible to inspect all private buildings to see if there were any illegal cage homes.
'We will certainly follow up any tip-offs we receive,' he said. 'But it's unreasonable for us to knock on doors across the SAR to check if there are cage homes, which would be a nuisance to the public.' Mr Lan said the Government was still investigating whether the Fu Yuen Building, where two people died in yesterday's blaze, was defined as a 'cage home'.
He said the Fu Yuen Building had been listed for fire and building safety improvements for five or six months.
The flat is believed to have been an unlicensed cage home for more than 20 people.
A few other flats on the same floor were also cage homes, residents of Fu Yuen Building said.
