Overview
- Lead counsel Victor Dawes said human factors left nearly all life‑saving protections ineffective, citing shut‑off alarms and hose reels, removed or boarded staircase windows, and use of non‑fire‑retardant netting and foam boards.
- Investigators outlined a suspected start point in a light well between units, noting cigarette butts and burned boxes found on a platform and on scaffolding, while stressing the cause is not yet proven.
- On day two, the committee heard allegations of bid‑rigging in the renovation tender, including residents steered toward a contractor with a prior conviction, a consultant allegedly paid monthly to rubber‑stamp evaluations, and apparent links among rival bidders.
- Police say 38 people have been arrested on suspicion of manslaughter and six for fraud, with nine charged so far, while the anti‑graft agency reports 23 arrests involving consultants, contractors and owners’ corporation members.
- The blaze on Nov. 26, 2025 killed 168 people as seven of eight towers burned during renovation; evidence also detailed firefighter Ho Wai‑ho’s death, with a preliminary finding of lethal carbon monoxide inhalation before a fall from height.