Tai Po inquiry sheds more light on final moments of firefighter Ho Wai-ho

Government-appointed independent committee releases interim investigation report from separate task force, including images of Ho’s gear

An independent inquiry into Hong Kong’s deadliest fire in decades has released further details about the final moments of fallen firefighter Ho Wai-ho, who died in the line of duty while responding to the blaze at Wang Fuk Court last November.

An interim report from an interdepartmental fire investigation task force was released by the government-appointed independent committee on Thursday. The disclosure included images of Ho’s gear recovered from the scene.

“The post-fire visual inspection revealed that [Ho] might have been in prolonged contact with hot or burning objects, resulting in severe fire damage to his [uniform],” the report read.

The document noted that his PBI Matrix tunic and trousers, which were designed to withstand extreme temperatures for brief periods, were heavily compromised.

It was also noted that his anti-flash hood, which should be non-flammable, and his helmet showed little to no signs of unusual damage.

“No unusual damage was observed on [Ho’s] anti-flash hood and helmet, apart from a crack in the visor, which might have been caused by contact with a sharp or hard object either prior to or during the fire”, the document read.