Former resident Seneca Lee said it was important to determine what caused the fire and find out who was responsible.
“At the very least, we need to know what caused the fire and why it spread so rapidly, becoming completely uncontrollable,” Lee said before the hearing.
A 69-year-old man, who gave only his surname Law, said he had lived at Wang Fuk Court for more than three decades and could not understand why fire alarms did not go off.
“That doesn’t make any sense,” Law said.
“I have a relative who passed away, so I’m feeling down.”
Government officials, former residents, construction firm directors and members of the Wang Fuk Court management committee are expected to appear at the hearings.
The judge-led committee will investigate whether fire safety standards were inadequate, if construction practices contributed to the fire and if there were failures by government officers or contractors.
Police are conducting a criminal investigation and have arrested 38 people on charges including manslaughter and fraud.
Hong Kong’s anti-graft watchdog has also arrested 23 people, including consultants, contractors and members of the owners’ corporation of the complex, the Independent Commission Against Corruption said in a statement on Wednesday.
