HONG KONG – Temperatures reached as high as 800 degrees Celsius in some units of Wang Fuk Court when a fire broke out at the residential complex in November last year, a committee tasked with investigating the deadly blaze reported on Tuesday.
According to the Independent Committee, temperatures at certain exit corridors – designed as escape routes – reached approximately 400 °C when the complex was on fire.
The Nov 26 fire that tore through seven of the eight buildings of Wang Fuk Court left 168 people dead.
In his opening address for the counsel representing relevant government bureaus and departments at the third session of the first round of evidential hearings, Senior Counsel Jenkin Suen quoted reports from frontline firefighters and temperature readings from thermal imaging cameras on site.
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“Throughout the operation, a total of nine firefighters who were carrying out fire-fighting and search and rescue operations inside the blocks required hospitalization due to heat exhaustion, physical exhaustion, breathing difficulties, smoke inhalation or being struck by falling objects,” Suen said.
The evidential hearings, which commenced on March 19, have so far scheduled three rounds from March to April “for clarifying relevant facts through oral evidence, written submissions, and other forms of evidence presented by witnesses”, according to the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region government.
The Independent Committee, established in December 2025, is reported to be conducting an investigation that also examines the overall design of the industry regulatory framework, supervision, site and building management, and day-to-day maintenance regimes to identify any structural gaps or deficiencies in the relevant systems.
The SAR government has initiated both immediate and medium-to-long-term systemic reform measures to enhance the overall fire safety of buildings within the city, according to the report.
Contact the writer at irismuk@chinadailyhk.com
