Hong Kong blaze survivors waiting for apology, accountability

Residents who survived Hong Kong's deadliest fire in decades said they hoped the government would finally take responsibility for failures that led to the disaster, as a months-long inquiry wrapped up on Friday.

The fire at Wang Fuk Court in November -- the world's deadliest residential building blaze since 1980 -- killed 169 people as it engulfed seven of the eight high-rise apartment blocks.

Thousands of residents were displaced.

An independent, judge-led committee heard from the leading counsel on Friday that the fire "was preventable but not prevented, and foreseeable but not foreseen".

Some residents were left in tears and hugging each other as the committee's final session ended, with many others calling for officials to face accountability.

"Shouldn't you actually step forward and apologise, rather than claiming you're not involved and washing your hands of the whole thing?" said resident Dorz Cheung, describing a "sense of helplessness".

"There is a lack of communication across all the departments, the entire government," he said.

"That is simply unacceptable."

Repeated complaints by Wang Fuk Court residents that construction workers renovating the estate were smoking on site received little response.

According to the committee's leading counsel, Victor Dawes, evidence suggests the fire was likely caused by a lit cigarette that was improperly disposed of.

The Hong Kong Labour Department had carried out at least 16 inspections but was unable to take enforcement action, referring some of the residents' complaints to the Fire Services Department, which said the issue did not fall within their remit.

A sweeping smoking ban on construction sites in Hong Kong came into force on Friday.

The probe also heard that the Urban Renewal Authority had failed to address complaints about the estate's management or examine contractors' qualifications.

The government has admitted "systemic weaknesses", including the limited scope and frequency of inspections.

But, the government's closing arguments said, "the primary causes remained the deceit, inaction and deliberate omissions of private actors."

"They really ought to all come forward collectively to apologise," said Cheung, demanding "a reasonable explanation, rather than just a half-hearted, slapdash one" from officials.

Other residents also said they were disappointed at the buck-passing between government departments.

- 'Justice' -

Peggy Fung, who is in her 70s and lived in the complex for over four decades, told reporters she felt the fire was "a disaster of the century".

"Why has no one from the related authorities come out to apologise for so long?"

She is one of about 1,700 residents over the age of 65, out of a total of more than 4,600. Of those who died, 114 people -- or about 70 percent -- were aged 65 or older.

"People like me and my neighbours -- we're not young anymore –- why do we still have to endure all this?" said Fung. "Why can't the government be a bit braver and actually do something?"

Harry Leung, one of the last residents to leave the complex on the day of the blaze, said that "the ultimate regulatory responsibility still lies with the government".

"All I'm asking is for (officials) to say, 'sorry, it was our fault', and to take responsibility," he said.

"This is not an unreasonable demand."

Betty Ho, who lived at Wang Fuk Court for more than 30 years, said officials cannot "shirk their responsibility by claiming they bear none".

"If they had just gone the extra mile, the whole incident would never have happened."

Yip Ka-kui, who lost his wife and home in the fire, said the government "must recognise where it has gone wrong and learn from its mistakes before it can truly set about making changes".

The inquiry committee is expected to deliver a report to the city leader by September.

That report would be "the starting point for setting the record straight and seeking justice," Yip said.

"This is not the end."

twa/ami

© Agence France-Presse