Exclusive‘No limits’ to accountability over Tai Po fire, security chief Chris Tang says
Secretary for security says committee investigating blaze will deliver results in a timely manner and commission of inquiry not needed
As Hong Kong marks the 29th anniversary of its return to Chinese rule on July 1, the South China Morning Post talks to the city’s senior officials about the administration’s achievements so far and what may lie ahead.
In an exclusive interview with the South China Morning Post, Secretary for Security Chris Tang Ping-keung said that law enforcement agencies were already prosecuting two people who refused to testify before the committee, and that there should be “no limits” to accountability in determining who was responsible for last November’s inferno.
“Whether they attend the committee or not, it doesn’t really matter. If we have evidence, we will arrest and we will prosecute,” Tang said.
On Monday, the independent committee investigating the Wang Fuk Court fire ruled out seeking statutory powers to compel witnesses to testify, leaving some survivors concerned that key figures might escape any legal consequences.
The committee’s ongoing hearings have revealed failures by multiple government departments to detect fire risks before the blaze at the estate, which was undergoing renovations. These included the use of polyfoam boards to cover windows and non-fire-retardant scaffolding mesh, and the removal of fireproof windows from emergency passages, all of which contributed significantly to the rapid spread of the fire.