Reducing fire risk to zero would cost huge amount, Tai Po blaze inquiry hears

A public inquiry into Hong Kong's deadliest fire in decades heard that eliminating fire risk entirely through renovations is unrealistic. Experts testified that mandating only incombustible materials for large-scale housing estate renovations is impractical, as it doesn't account for risks developing over time. The use of polyfoam boards to seal windows was identified as one of five key factors contributing to the 168 deaths at Wang Fuk Court in Tai Po last year. A government-appointed expert stated that simply banning combustible materials near light wells would not eliminate fire risk during renovation work.