Lee Suet-kwan, the mother of Huang Zhiqiang. Photo: Jonathan Wong
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https://scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3017170/couple-who-lost-family-members-fire-set-violent Law and Crime
Couple who lost family members in fire set by violent neighbour sue Hong Kong Housing Society for ‘failing to take action’ against him
- Lee Suet-kwan says her son, daughter-in-law and granddaughter could have been saved if Housing Society acted in time against anti-immigrant neighbour who had made previous threats against family
Police officers and firefighters investigate the flat after fire broke out at Kennedy Town’s Kwun Lung Lau estate in 2016. Photo: Edward Wong
A couple who lost their son, daughter-in-law and granddaughter in a fire set by their neighbour three years ago have sued the Housing Society for an unspecified sum of damages.
Huang Xiniu and Lee Suet-kwan on Tuesday lodged five claims against the non-government public housing operator to the District Court over the tragedy at Kennedy Town’s Kwun Lung Lau estate on July 16, 2016.
The Coroner’s Court in February found that Hui Wai-chung, a 63-year-old man with a history of violence, had set fire to the family’s 13th-floor flat with paint thinner.
Coroner Ko Wai-hung ruled Hui had committed suicide when he set the fire, and unlawfully killed the couple’s daughter-in-law Wu Qianxin, 25, and granddaughter Huang Yilin, 3.
The coroner ruled their son Huang Zhiqiang, 26, who fell from the building attempting to escape, died from misadventure.
The inquest also revealed Hui held anti-immigrant views and had threatened the family – who were from Foshan in mainland China – months before the deadly fire because he was upset about the toddler being noisy.
Lee said the society had been aware of Hui’s past violent behaviour and his struggles with depression, as well as his dislike of immigrants.
“This was a ticking time bomb,” she testified.
But a former employee at the society explained the organisation lacked the legal power to take action against Hui and could not move him without his consent as long as he paid the rent.
The policy prompted Ko to call for a review, urging the society to contemplate mandatory reassignment in cases where tenants caused a nuisance.
Lee had earlier said the tragedy could have been avoided if what Ko suggested had been put in place at the time.
In court documents made available on Wednesday, Lee and her husband accused the society of causing the deaths through negligence, breach of duty of care or the tenancy agreement, or all of the above.
They are seeking an unspecified sum of damages as dependants of their son and daughter-in-law and compensation for their psychiatric or psychological suffering.