Survivors of the Wang Fuk Court fire filed repeated complaints of construction workers smoking before last November’s blaze, an independent committee probing the inferno heard on Thursday.

As the proceedings entered a fourth day, George Cheung, a resident of Wang Tai House, told the inquiry that there were smells of people smoking, and cigarette butts littered the stairwell and scaffolding.

He said he had informed the contractor, Prestige Construction and Engineering, of the issue.

“[The contractor] only said it would follow up, and that the cigarettes might not come from the workers and instead from upstairs,” Cheung told the hearing.

“We had complained many times and every government department said it was not responsible.”

Another resident who testified, Elsie Ng from Wang Cheong House, said she had seen cigarette butts as well as construction waste, such as styrofoam boards and cardboard, scattered around.

The inquiry also heard from Wong Ka-yuen, the first resident at the Tai Po estate to dial “999”.

She said she heard a message that the line was busy repeating several times, and told the hearing: “I waited for a long time, and I didn’t think the line would be busy.”

Wong said once she left the building, the fire had reached the top of the block.

“I know chances may be slim, but I hope that [the authorities] can uncover the cause of the blaze… and find out why there wasn’t sufficient water to put out the fire,” she said.

Another resident, Sin Sin-hing from Wang Tai House, told the inquiry that she called 999 multiple times before firefighters came to her rescue.

She became emotional and choked up during her testimony when she recalled walking past a body in the stairwell and the firefighters behind her removing it.

“Even today, I am very moved… that the firefighters took the body away as early as possible, so that it wouldn’t be trampled on for a second or third time,” Sin said.

Separately, a representative of the Competition Commission at the hearing said the watchdog had not included Prestige or the consultant Will Power in proceedings against a bid-rigging syndicate announced on Wednesday.

The commission would not rule out the possibility that maintenance projects at Wang Fuk Court involved at least two syndicates, according to the representative.

The independent committee’s head, David Lok, said no one should presume any guilt at the moment.



Edited by Thomas McAlinden