Yuen Long Fire Footage Prompts Speedy Probe Call

Democratic Party lawmaker Roy Kwong has called on police to expedite its investigation into a suspected arson attack at a popular Yuen Long bird-watching site, as reports emerged of suspicious movements by a couple of people in the area on that day.

Kwong said the police should give people an update on their investigation into the incident that happened on April 2.

His call came after local news agency, FactWire, reported that CCTV footage it had obtained showed at least two people at the site of the fire.

The agency said neither of the pair reported the blaze to the authorities. But one is seen making a phone call as a wooden ferry at the popular conservation site in Yuen Long was ablaze.

Authorities had said that the fire was suspicious.

FactWire said the footage also shows some kind of flammable liquid floating on the river near the site's ferry pier. It started to burn at around 3am on that day.

The police were not aware of the fire until the sampan's operator made a report at around 6:20am.

The footage also contradicts earlier claims by a police source that there was no recording of the incident due to insufficient storage for the surveillance camera footage.

Police did not make any comment on the FactWire report, but put out a run-of-the-mill statement saying officers are investigating the case, and that no one has been arrested so far.

The site at Nam Sang Wai has been ravaged by four separate fires over the last two months. The wetland in Yuen Long has been at the centre of a long-lasting land dispute between its private owner, environmentalists and town planners over whether the area should be developed or conserved.