A disciplinary board has postponed a hearing for two fire safety contractors said to have failed to properly manage disabled fire safety systems before Wang Fuk Court went up in flames last year.

Chung Kit-man (centre), a director and engineer at Victory Fire Engineering, testifies at a public hearing on March 30, 2026, into the massive Tai Po fire. File photo: Hans Tse/HKFP.

The Fire Services Department said in a statement on Monday night that the Registered Fire Service Installation Contractors Disciplinary Board had adjourned the hearing for Victory Fire Engineering Limited, originally scheduled for Friday, “until further notice.”

Upon a joint request from both parties, the hearing was adjourned “for their preparation.”

A hearing against China Status Development and Engineering Company Limited, another fire services contractor at Wang Fuk Court, has also been adjourned to allow the prosecution more time to process the case.

China Status did not object to the adjournment, the statement read.

The massive fire broke out at Wang Fuk Court on November 26 last year. It tore through seven of the eight buildings at the estate, killing 168 people and displacing thousands in its wake.

Limited powers

Earlier hearings held by an independent committee investigating the cause and rapid spread of the deadly fire have revealed alleged negligence by the two firms, which are reportedly still in business.

It was revealed that China Status disabled Wang Fuk Court’s fire safety system in April last year for repairs on the rooftop water tanks and applied to extend the shutdown period 16 times. The estate’s fire alarms remained disabled when the blaze broke out last November.

A photo showing the control panel of the upfeed water pump at Wang Cheong House, dated December 2, 2025. Photo: Wang Fuk Court independent committee.

On November 19, a week before the blaze, Victory Fire discovered that the master switch had been turned off, affecting both the alarms and the fire hoses, but did not take further action.

At a hearing this March, Chung Kit-man, a director and engineer at Victory Fire, defended himself, saying it was not his responsibility to address the disabled systems.

Monday’s announcement comes after newspaper Ming Pao ran a front page report noting that disciplinary proceedings can result in the board reprimanding a contractor or removing their name from the register, permanently or for a specific period.

Criminal prosecution would involve a separate procedure.

In response to the paper’s enquiry as to whether the authorities had pressed charges against the two firms, the Fire Services Department only said that prosecutions would be initiated if there is sufficient evidence.