Some Hong Kong fire survivors reluctant to relive horror for judge-led panel
Residents of Wang Fuk Court destroyed in blaze say providing accounts of what happened could be overwhelming
Some survivors of Hong Kong’s deadliest fire in decades have voiced concerns over reliving the tragedy and sharing personal information if they take part in an investigation ordered by the city’s leader, with psychologists calling for a balance between justice and compassion.
A number of residents from Tai Po’s Wang Fuk Court, which was engulfed in flames last week, told the Post they wanted a fair, just and open investigation that took the feelings and privacy of the survivors into account.
Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu has ordered a judge-led panel to investigate the causes of the fire and its rapid spread. The blaze claimed at least 159 lives, including a firefighter’s, injured 79 and displaced about 4,000 residents.
It remains unclear, however, whether any survivors will be asked to provide accounts, as little has been revealed about how the inquiry will proceed.
Now staying at a hotel in Tsim Sha Tsui, Kwong Pui-lun, a 71-year-old resident of Wang Tao House, said he hoped the inquiry would go “all-out” to determine the facts.
“It must be fair, just and open … I also expect residents to be actively engaged to help uncover the truth,” he said.