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An electrician who was not licensed to deal with fire safety equipment has told a public hearing investigating the Wang Fuk Court blaze that he unknowingly switched off all the fire alarms months before the tragedy.
Law Kwok-shui, an electrical worker from ISS EastPoint Properties, attends a public hearing into Hong Kong’s deadly Tai Po fire, on March 31, 2026. Photo: Hans Tse/HKFP.Two workers, a electrician and a carpenter, at the estate management company ISS EastPoint testified on Wednesday, the seventh day of the independent committee hearings.
When the fatal blaze broke out at Wang Fuk Court in November, the fire alarms did not go off automatically, delaying residents’ evacuation from a blaze that eventually claimed 168 lives.
Electrician Law Kwok-shui told the independent committee that he and another colleague, carpenter Lee Shing-foo, were ordered by ISS to assist Prestige, the construction firm responsible for the estate’s large-scale renovation, to release water from all water tanks from last May to August.
The procedure was to prepare for water tank maintenance, part of the HK$330 million renovation project at the estate.
The carpenter Lee said on Wednesday that he told Law that only workers with a fire safety licence can handle relevant equipment, including water tanks.
Wang Fuk Court buildings on December 29, 2025, one month after the deadly fire. Photo: Kyle Lam/HKFP. Law – who does not have the license – said he informed ISS EastPoint clerk Lok Sin-ying, who passed the task to him, of this requirement. But he said Lok told him to follow the orders, a claim that Lok denied during her testimony.
She said if workers had any hesitation, they should consult senior management.
In the end, Law drained the water tanks, something he had no experience doing. Before doing so, he turned off master switches as he said he had recalled learning from Victory Fire – a fire safety contractor at the estate – that this was required before releasing water from tanks.
Asked by Senior Counsel Victor Dawes, a lawyer representing the independent committee, if he knew turning off the switches would deactivate fire alarms, he said he did not.
“I would not have done that [if I knew],” he said in Cantonese.
When asked by Dawes why he followed the orders even though he knew he was not qualified to, Law said he was afraid he would be punished if he refused.
Lee Shing-foo, a carpenter from ISS EastPoint Properties, attends a public hearing into Hong Kong’s deadly Tai Po fire, on March 31, 2026. Photo: Hans Tse/HKFP.Dawes said according to the Fire Services Department, workers do not need to turn off the master switches to drain water tanks. Law said he did not know about this.
Lee said both he and Lee had keys to the pump rooms where the master switches are, with Lee opening the doors and staying outside while Lee went in to turn off the switches. Prestige workers also went into the rooms.
Lam said that besides him, only Lee and some Prestige staff knew the main switches were off before the fatal fire.
‘I did not know’
ISS EastPoint technical officer Lam Man-yan also testified on Wednesday.
He managed Wang Fuk Court from July 2019 to April 2025, where he was Law and Lee’s supervisor.
Lam left the job after that and rejoined in October 2025. He confirmed that it was during his period of absence that the master switches were turned off.
ISS technical officer Lam Man Yan testifies on April 1 and April 2, 2026 as an independent committee probes the deadly Tai Po fire. Photo: Hans Tse/HKFP. When questioned by the lawyer Dawes, Law said he was unaware that the fire water tanks were empty and that the master switches were off when he returned in October.
Lam also said he was responsible for the tendering of a switch-changing project for the water tanks in April, but “did not know” why the renovations of the tanks were taking so long.
He said he did not know the contractors of the water tank repair projects either.
Many times when questioned by judge David Lok, chair of the committee, Lam replied “I did not know,” prompting Lok to ask what he was “actually responsible for.”
Lam replied that he was in charge of “solving problems” and paperwork related to maintenance projects at Wang Fuk Court.
“It seems that you think I am rubbish. I am not.” Lam said in Cantonese.
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