Experts told a committee why the fire at Wang Fuk Court moved so quickly.

專家向委員會說明了旺福苑火災為何蔓延得如此迅速。

Professor Usmani studied the building. He said the building has special open spaces. These spaces worked like chimneys. They pushed hot air and smoke up to the top floors very fast.

Usmani 教授研究了該建築。他表示建築物內有特殊的開放空間，這些空間就像煙囪一樣，將熱空氣與煙霧迅速推向頂層。

There were also dangerous materials on the walls. Workers used wood, cardboard, and foam. These things burn easily. The nets on the building also caught fire.

牆上還使用了危險材料。工人使用了木材、紙板和泡沫，這些物質極易燃燒。建築物上的防護網也起火了。

Professor Usmani wants new rules. He says buildings must not use materials that burn during repairs. He also wants better windows and more checks on building work.

Usmani 教授希望能制定新規定。他表示建築物在維修期間不得使用易燃材料。他還希望改善窗戶品質，並對建築工程增加更多檢查。

The group will finish its report in mid-July.

該小組將於七月中旬完成報告。

An independent committee has heard expert evidence explaining the building design and material failures that allowed the fire at Wang Fuk Court in Tai Po to spread so quickly.

一個獨立委員會已聽取專家證據，解釋大埔王福苑火災之所以擴散如此迅速，是因為建築設計與物料失效所致。

Professor Asif Sohail Usmani from the Hong Kong Polytechnic University testified about the systemic failures that occurred on November 26, 2025. He emphasized that the building's recessed lightwells acted like vertical shafts, creating a 'chimney effect' that pushed hot gases and smoke upward. This process caused heat to build up against the walls, which led to a rapid 'flashover' and allowed flames to jump quickly from lower floors to upper residential units.

香港理工大學的 Asif Sohail Usmani 教授就 2025 年 11 月 26 日發生的系統性失效提供了證詞。他強調，大廈內凹入的天井如同垂直豎管，造成了「煙囪效應」，將高溫氣體與煙霧向上推。這個過程導致熱力在牆邊積聚，進而引發快速的「閃燃」，使火焰迅速從低層跳至高層的住宅單位。

Furthermore, the expert pointed out that flammable materials played a critical role. He noted that wooden planks, cardboard, and foam boards on the exterior walls, as well as non-fire-resistant scaffolding nets, helped the fire spread. Comparing this to the Grenfell Tower disaster in London, Professor Usmani argued that following basic material standards is not enough if the overall structure remains vulnerable. Consequently, he suggested a total ban on combustible materials on the facades of buildings being renovated, especially when they are close to other towers.

此外，專家指出易燃物料扮演了關鍵角色。他注意到外牆上的木板、紙板與泡沫板，以及不防火的鷹架網，都助長了火勢擴散。Usmani 教授將此次事故與倫敦的格林菲爾塔（Grenfell Tower）災難相比，認為若整體結構依然脆弱，僅符合基本物料標準是不夠的。因此，他建議全面禁止在翻新大廈的外牆使用可燃物料，特別是當這些大廈鄰近其他高樓時。

To fix these problems, Professor Usmani proposed several new regulations. He suggested that recessed spaces should be legally classified as vertical shafts and that fire-resistant windows must be installed if flammable materials cannot be completely removed. Additionally, he recommended stricter government supervision for renovation projects taking place in occupied residential buildings.

為了修正這些問題，Usmani 教授提出了幾項新規定。他建議在法律上將凹入空間定義為垂直豎管，且若無法完全移除易燃物料，則必須安裝防火窗。此外，他建議政府對在有人居住的住宅大廈內進行的翻新工程實施更嚴格的監管。

The investigation into the Wang Fuk Court fire is now entering its final stage, with closing arguments expected by mid-July.

王福苑火災的調查目前進入最後階段，預計 7 月中將提交結案陳詞。

An independent committee has received expert testimony detailing the architectural and material failures that facilitated the rapid spread of fire at Wang Fuk Court in Tai Po.

一個獨立委員會已收到專家證詞，詳細說明大埔王福閣在建築與物料上的失效，如何導致火勢迅速蔓延。

The evidentiary proceedings featured testimony from Professor Asif Sohail Usmani of the Hong Kong Polytechnic University, who analyzed the systemic failures contributing to the event on November 26, 2025. Professor Usmani identified the building's trapezoidal re-entrant spaces as primary catalysts for the disaster. He posited that these recessed lightwells functioned as vertical shafts, inducing a 'chimney effect' that accelerated the upward movement of hot gases and smoke. This phenomenon, compounded by thermal feedback where walls radiated heat back toward fuel sources, precipitated a rapid flashover and a 'leapfrog effect,' whereby flames transitioned vertically from lower to upper residential units at an unprecedented velocity.

在證據聆訊中，香港理工大學的 Asif Sohail Usmani 教授提供了證詞，分析導致 2025 年 11 月 26 日事件的系統性失效。Usmani 教授指出，建築物的梯形凹入空間（re-entrant spaces）是導致這場災難的主要催化劑。他認為這些凹入的光井起到了垂直煙道的作用，誘導出「煙囪效應」，加速了高溫氣體與煙霧的向上移動。此現象加上牆壁將熱能輻射回燃料源的熱回饋，促成了快速的閃燃（flashover）與「跳躍效應」，使火焰以極快速度從低層住宅單位垂直蔓延至高層。

Furthermore, the expert highlighted the critical role of combustible materials. It was noted that the presence of wooden planks, cardboard, and foam boards on exterior walls, alongside the use of non-fire-retardant scaffolding nets, facilitated secondary ignitions. Drawing a parallel to the Grenfell Tower incident in London, Usmani argued that adherence to individual material standards is insufficient if the overall assembly remains vulnerable to warping and subsequent fuel exposure. Consequently, he advocated for a comprehensive prohibition of combustible materials on the facades of buildings undergoing renovation, particularly those in proximity to one another, to mitigate the risk of inter-tower fire spread.

此外，專家強調了可燃物料的關鍵作用。他指出外牆出現木板、紙板與泡沫板，以及使用非防火棚網，助長了二次起火。Usmani 教授將此與倫敦 Grenfell Tower 事件類比，認為如果整體組件仍易於變形並導致燃料外露，僅遵循個別物料標準是不夠的。因此，他主張全面禁止在裝修大樓的外牆使用可燃物料，特別是彼此鄰近的建築，以降低火勢在塔樓間蔓延的風險。

To address these vulnerabilities, Professor Usmani proposed a series of regulatory adjustments. These include the legal reclassification of re-entrant spaces as vertical shafts and the mandatory installation of fire-retardant windows in instances where the total elimination of combustible materials is impracticable. Additionally, he recommended the implementation of more rigorous regulatory oversight for renovation projects conducted within occupied residential structures.

為了彌補這些漏洞，Usmani 教授提出了一系列監管調整建議。其中包括將凹入空間在法律上重新定義為垂直煙道，以及在無法完全消除可燃物料的情況下，強制安裝防火窗。此外，他建議對於在有人居住的住宅結構中進行的裝修工程，實施更嚴格的監管審查。

The inquiry into the Wang Fuk Court fire is proceeding toward its final phase, with closing submissions scheduled for mid-July.

王福閣大火的調查正進入最後階段，預計 7 月中將提交最後陳詞。