Following an investigation into a fatal fire, Hong Kong's security chief pledged to upgrade emergency communication, replacing outdated fax messaging with digital systems and increasing call center capacity.

Hong Kong’s security chief has pledged to replace emergency fax messaging between police and firefighters with a digital system and to increase phone lines at call centres, after an inquiry into a fatal Tai Po fire revealed that residents had waited up to 15 minutes for call referrals. Secretary for Security Chris Tang Ping-keung’s remarks on Friday at a Legislative Council Finance Committee meeting followed evidence that emerged from an independent committee’s hearing that revealed a bottleneck...