Fire Chief Testifies on Hong Kong's Deadliest Fire in Decades
Director of Fire Services admits department could have collaborated better with building authorities as investigation into November 2025 blaze continues
Quick Look
- The head of Hong Kong's Fire Services Department testified before an independent investigation committee about the deadliest fire in the territory since 1948.
- Director Andy Yeung Yan-kin admitted fire and building authorities could have collaborated better on fire safety risks at the Wang Fuk Court estate in Tai Po, where 168 people died in November 2025.
- The blaze engulfed seven of eight high-rise buildings undergoing renovation, displacing nearly 5,000 residents.
AI-generated summary
Why It Matters
Hong Kong's deadliest fire since 1944 killed 168 people at Wang Fuk Court estate in Tai Po. The November 2025 blaze engulfed seven of eight high-rise buildings that were undergoing renovation. The independent investigation committee is examining fire safety failures and emergency response procedures.
The head of the Fire Services Department (FSD) testified on the 19th day of evidential hearings looking at Hong Kong's deadliest fire in decades – the most senior official to appear before the investigating committee so far. Director of Fire Services Andy Yeung Yan-kin appeared before the independent committee on Friday to testify about the department's operations before and during the inferno at Wang Fuk Court housing estate last November. He admitted that fire and building authorities could have collaborated better to deal with fire safety risks at the Tai Po estate and said the FSD was seeking to amend legislation and tighten regulations overseeing fire services installation contractors. He also conceded that the department should have taken control of the issue of polyfoam boards, rather than refer the matter to other agencies. Tang Wing-wah, assistant director for New Territories North and one of the commanders on site, testified before Yeung. He recounted the challenges that firefighters faced, including falling debris that blocked the entrance to Wang Cheong House, and the need to carry heavy portable pumps to increase the water pressure at higher levels, since the booster pumps across the estate's eight buildings had been deactivated. Two senior firefighters testified before the judge-led panel on Thursday, including Derek Armstrong Chan, one of Yeung's deputies and the top commander on site during the fire. The blaze, which broke out on November 26, 2025, engulfed all but one of the estate's eight high-rise buildings, which were being renovated at the time. Hong Kong's deadliest fire since 1948 killed 168 people, including a firefighter, and displaced nearly 5,000 residents. Chan defended his decision not to activate the government's Emergency Alert System, saying it was "unsuitable for the incident". However, he conceded that the level four fire alarm should have been raised earlier so that more firefighters and equipment could arrive sooner.
What to Watch
AI outlook — possibilities, not facts
Legislative amendments to tighten fire services installation contractor regulations
Likely · Within months
Additional senior officials may be called to testify
Very likely · Within weeks
Open Questions
- What specific legislative amendments is the FSD proposing?
- Why were booster pumps across the estate's eight buildings deactivated?
- What systems should have been used instead of the Emergency Alert System?
- Were there prior warnings about fire safety risks at the estate?
