An independent review committee tasked with probing the deadly fire in Hong Kong that has so far claimed 156 lives has no legal power to compel and protect witnesses, but may yield faster results of comparable quality to a statutory commission, experts say.
Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu on Tuesday ordered a judge-led independent investigation into the blaze rather than a commission of inquiry used by his predecessors for the 2012 Lamma Island ferry collision and, before the 1997 handover, the 1996 Garley Building fire.
The blaze at Tai Po’s Wang Fuk Court last week killed 156, injured 79 and left an estimated 4,000 people homeless.
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A commission of inquiry is a statutory body established under the Commissions of Inquiry Ordinance to investigate matters of public importance, with extensive power granted to a judge-led panel. It is treated as a judicial process, but is not a court of law.
An independent review committee is non-statutory and allows more flexibility in the investigation process. It was last used in 2018 to probe the city’s franchised bus service after a fatal traffic accident that killed 19.
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In response to the inquiry, the Chief Executive’s Office said that one of the purposes of establishing a committee was to expedite and enhance the efficiency of the investigation, including criminal probes. The operation would be similar to the 2018 probe, and a 2003 probe which was initiated after a Tuen Mun traffic accident which killed 21.
A source said the committee would be quicker to establish and more efficient as it would receive instructions directly from Lee, who could sign an executive order to summon anyone needed and direct departments to provide evidence.