我是大埔街坊，小學在宏福苑附近讀書，至少有兩名小學同學是宏福苑居民，中學老師亦有親人在火中失蹤，得悉大火一事，吾人傷痛欲絕，今聞上一個要求問責的聯署發起人被誣陷為煽動被捕，更是轉悲為怒，是故接續其人之志，向政府提出大埔宏福苑五級火災的訴求。

一、持續支援受災居民，確保妥善安置
沒有人應該因為人禍而失去家園。受災居民失去安樂窩、全數財產盡失，不少更經歷 與親人和寵物天人永隔之痛。政府作為負責保障香港人性命財產的機構，應儘快確保 居民獲妥善安置，同時聽取居民訴求，安排中長期的居所、交通、醫療及情緒支援等 服務，以紓緩火災對居民身心靈、社交與財政等方面的衝擊。

二、成立獨立調查委員會，全面徹查潛在利益輸送
宏福苑大火起因存疑，現時資訊更直指屋苑大維修工程背後,可能牽涉龐大利益輸送。具阻燃性的棚網與普通棚網的差價，形成貪贓枉法的空間。另一方面，大廈消防 鐘在火頭初起時竟無響起，導致不少居民錯失逃生的黃金時間。為還原真相、追究責任，我們絕不容許形式主義的問責。政府必須即時成立獨立調查委員會、公開所有涉 事文件、深挖事件背後的關係網，以及各持份者的角色與過失。

三、重新審視工程監管制度，拒絕祭旗了事
早在2023年9月，已有宏福苑居民向勞工處投訴大維修工程，明確指出外牆棚網存 在防火安全隱患。惟勞工處當時僅回覆稱棚網符合相關標準,發出改善通知書便草草了事。然而，火勢短短數分鐘內便從低層燒至天台，令人質疑棚網阻燃性。此外,建 築商人潘焯鴻曾去信消防處查詢阻燃棚網的具體標準，至今仍未獲任何正面回覆。居民投訴被擱置、去信查詢無人理會,部門互相推卸責任,監管機制形同虛設。政府應 重新審視工程監管制度，確保建築承辦商依照安全標準工作。而非只拘捕數人祭旗了事，或以棚架物料混淆視聽。

四、全力追究監管疏忽，問責政府官員
宏福苑大火無情奪去多條人命，這不是天災，而是長期監管失靈、部門瀆職累積的人禍。火已熄滅,但暴露出的制度漏洞、部門失職與缺席,絕不能隨之煙消雲散。市民需 要的不是官樣文章式的「會檢討」，而是真相、改革、及實質問責。我們要求調查結果必須明確指出應承擔責任的官 員姓名，不得僅以「棄用竹棚」含糊帶過。政府欠香港人的是一次真真正正、指名道姓的問責。

火災波及不分藍黃，濟災市民伸出援手亦沒有問明災民立場，政府若有心由治及興，必當公正問責，而非凡有意外必以「黑暴」搪塞，以關愛隊奪取濟災市民功勞，殆市民「非港獨而不得維權」口實，甚至有市民要上報中紀委有關涉事議員貪腐，是故我等在此要求香港政府承認甚至連大公都指出有黑幕的事實，詳實獨立地調查是次火災潛藏的系統性問題。

As a Tai Po resident—having attended primary school nearby, with at least two former classmates living in Wang Fuk Court, and with a secondary school teacher whose family member went missing in the fire—I was heartbroken upon hearing about the blaze. Learning that the previous initiator of a petition demanding accountability was falsely accused of “incitement” and arrested only turned grief into anger. Therefore, I am continuing their effort and presenting the demands regarding the Level 5 fire at Tai Po Wang Fuk Court.

1. Continue supporting affected residents and ensure proper relocation

No one should lose their home because of a man-made disaster. The affected residents have lost their homes and all their belongings; many also suffer the agony of being forever separated from loved ones and pets. As the institution responsible for safeguarding the lives and property of Hongkongers, the government must ensure that residents are properly resettled as soon as possible. It must listen to their needs and arrange medium- and long-term housing, transportation, medical, and emotional support services to ease the disaster’s impact on residents’ physical, mental, social, and financial well-being.

2. Establish an independent commission of inquiry to thoroughly investigate potential collusion and profiteering

The cause of the Wang Fuk Court fire remains suspicious. Current information points to the possibility of substantial profiteering behind the estate’s major renovation project. The price gap between flame-retardant scaffolding nets and ordinary nets creates room for corruption. On top of that, the building’s fire alarms failed to sound when the fire first broke out, causing many residents to miss the critical window to escape. To uncover the truth and pursue accountability, we cannot accept superficial or performative investigations. The government must immediately establish an independent commission of inquiry, disclose all relevant documents, and thoroughly examine the network of relationships as well as the roles and negligence of all stakeholders involved.

3. Re-examine the construction oversight system; refuse scapegoating

As early as September 2023, Wang Fuk Court residents had already filed complaints with the Labour Department about fire-safety risks in the external scaffolding nets used during the renovation. Yet the Labour Department simply replied that the nets met relevant standards and closed the case after issuing an improvement notice. However, the fire spread from the lower floors to the rooftop within minutes, raising doubts about the nets’ flame-retardant properties. Additionally, contractor Poon Cho-hung wrote to the Fire Services Department seeking clarification on flame-retardant net standards but has received no proper reply to this day. Residents’ complaints were shelved, inquiries ignored, and departments passed responsibility back and forth—making the regulatory system effectively non-existent. The government must re-examine the engineering regulatory framework to ensure contractors comply with safety standards, rather than merely arresting a few individuals as scapegoats or using the scaffolding materials as a distraction.

4. Thoroughly pursue regulatory negligence and hold government officials accountable

The Wang Fuk Court fire mercilessly claimed multiple lives. This was not a natural disaster but a man-made tragedy caused by years of regulatory failure and departmental negligence. The fire may be out, but the exposed systemic loopholes, dereliction of duty, and absence of oversight cannot be allowed to fade away. What the public needs is not formulaic statements of “we will review,” but truth, reform, and real accountability. We demand that the investigation report clearly name the officials responsible, rather than glossing over the matter with vague references such as “stop using bamboo scaffolding.” The government owes Hongkongers genuine, explicit accountability.

This fire transcended political colours; those who rushed to help did not question victims’ political stance. If the government truly wishes to govern responsibly and restore trust, it must pursue accountability fairly, rather than blaming every incident on so-called “black riots,” or letting “care teams” claim credit for citizens’ rescue efforts. Such behaviour risks reinforcing the perception that “only Hong Kong independence supporters can defend their rights,” and even pushes some citizens to consider reporting corrupt officials to the CCP’s Central Commission for Discipline Inspection. Therefore, we demand that the Hong Kong government acknowledge—even state media Ta Kung Pao has hinted—there is a dark side to this incident, and that it conduct a detailed, independent investigation into the systemic issues behind this fire.