Hong Kong chief executive lauds bravery of two firemen who died battling Ngau Tau Kok blaze
Leung Chun-ying makes comment at reception commemorating anniversary of 1997 handover; he also says blaze was ‘heavy lesson in fire safety’
Hong Kong’s top official paid tribute on Friday to two firemen who died fighting an inferno in an industrial building last week and described the fire as “a heavy lesson in fire safety”.
In his speech commemorating the 19th anniversary of Hong Kong’s handover, Chief Executive Leung Chun-ying also recounted the administration’s successes in tackling the city’s housing shortage and vowed to continue focusing on economic development in the coming year.
Friday was also the 95th anniversary of the Communist Party’s founding. Speaking as the party’s general secretary in Beijing, President Xi Jinping said “[The party] will continue to thoroughly implement the principles of ‘one country, two systems’ and ‘Hong Kong people governing Hong Kong’ ... and support the chief executive and SAR government in governing according to the law.”
Leung addressed hundreds of business leaders and district representatives at a reception at the Convention and Exhibition Centre after attending a flag-raising ceremony. A performance at the reception was cancelled as a mark of respect for the dead firemen.
“The level four fire in Ngau Tau Kok last week was a heavy lesson in fire safety. The building that was on fire – together with a few hundred similar old factory buildings – did not have automatic sprinkler systems,” Leung said, adding that the government had set up a cross-departmental task force to enforce the law, as well as review and amend related laws.
