Senior civil servants could face disciplinary action over Tai Po fire if named in report
Senior public servants found accountable for last year’s deadly Tai Po fire could face disciplinary action if named in an investigation report that a government-appointed panel is expected to submit this month, Hong Kong’s civil service chief has said. Secretary for the Civil Service Ingrid Yeung Ho Poi-yan also said on Saturday that a support unit was being set up to assist the Public Service…
Hong Kong's Civil Service Chief Ingrid Yeung has stated that senior civil servants responsible for the fatal Tai Po fire, which occurred last November and claimed 168 lives, could face disciplinary action if named in an upcoming investigation report from a government-appointed panel. Yeung said the Public Service Commission, led by former sports commissioner George Tsoi and former deputy secretary for security Benjamin Mok, would investigate officials' "administrative responsibilities" if the report points to inadequacies or presents prima facie evidence.
If a system failure is cited as the main issue, officials' administrative responsibilities could also be scrutinized. Yeung clarified that the commission would handle serious or systemic government problems, with department heads overseeing relatively minor issues. The fire at the Wang Fuk Court housing estate in Tai Po was caused by a combination of factors, including the use of non-fire-retardant materials, removal of fireproof windows, and deactivation of fire alarms during renovation.
The panel's investigation, which held 30 evidential hearing sessions over five months, highlighted the government's lax monitoring and heavy reliance on contractors' self-supervision as contributing to the disaster. Yeung emphasized that accountability would be pursued based on the commission's report, though the government might not make the report fully public to protect privacy and confidentiality.
Written by urgent.news from South China Morning Post - Hong Kong's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
