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Hong Kong files charges over deadliest fire in decades HONG KONG - Hong Kong filed manslaughter charges against several people and companies on Wednesday over the world's deadliest residential building fire in decades, which killed 168 people at a public housing estate last year.

Tai Po fire: Local rep. linked to renovation calls blaze 'man-made tragedy' A district councillor facing criticism over her alleged involvement in the controversial HK$330 million renovation of Wang Fuk Court has called the deadly blaze a “man-made tragedy” and suggested the current owners’ corporation committee is to blame. Tai Po South councillor Peggy Wong, a member of the Democratic Alliance for the Betterment and Progress of Hong Kong (DAB), in 2024. Photo: Peggy Wong, via Facebook. Tai Po South councillor Peggy Wong, a member of the Democratic Alliance for the Betterment and Progress of Hong Kong (DAB), said on Monday that she would file a case with police, as she demanded a probe into suspected negligence and other possible offences by the incumbent management committee of Wang Fuk Court’s owners’ corporation. She will also report the incumbent committee to the Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) – the antigraft watchdog – over “years-long negligence of fire safety equipment” at Wang Fuk Court, according to a Chinese-language statement. 💡 HKFP Guide : How to support families affected by the deadly Tai Po fire . Authorities say the fire alarms were malfunctionin…

Tai Po in flames - Lausan Share On 26th November 2025, around 2:50pm, a fire broke out in one of the 31-story buildings in Wang Fuk Court, a 42-year-old Home Ownership Scheme housing estate in Tai Po, Hong Kong. The fire quickly escalated to the deadliest in the city since 1947 , spreading to six neighboring towers and increasing in intensity. 1 As of the time of writing, 128 people were killed, including one firefighter and seven migrant workers. 76 people are injured, over 200 people are still missing, and over 900 residents were evacuated. Nearly 40% of the Wang Fuk residents are over 65, and have lost the place they have called home for decades. The fire was initially labelled as an accident. However, many accounts have been published to refute this claim. In this short article, we attempt to summarize these accounts, and point to how the Wang Fuk Fire was the result of using improper flammable protective nets during ongoing renovations, which is deeply connected to corruption, government collusion, and a capitalist system geared entirely towards the profit of parties preferred by the regime. We report in contrast how people are making a collective effort to rescue their commu…

Hong Kong charges seven people, two firms over deadliest fire in decades The massive blaze, which engulfed seven of the eight high-rise apartment blocks at the Wang Fuk Court estate in November, prompted a months-long investigation in to the cause

Hong Kong police, ICAC charge 7, 2 firms over deadly Wang Fuk Court blaze Hong Kong’s police and anti-corruption agency have charged seven individuals and two companies with 25 offences, including manslaughter, conspiracy to defraud, money laundering, attempting to pervert the course of public justice, and tax evasion in connection with the city’s most deadly blaze in recent history. The defendants appeared at West Kowloon Court on Wednesday to face charges brought by police and the Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC), the first laid against those deemed...

Hong Kong has suffered its deadliest fire in decades. Survivors are ... Video Ad Feedback How Hong Kong’s fire turned deadly 2:40 • Source: CNN How Hong Kong’s fire turned deadly 2:40 Asia China Homes See all topics Facebook Tweet Email Link Threads Link Copied! Follow Hong Kong — For half an hour as the fire grew and swallowed an adjacent building, Wan watched television in his home, unaware of the danger blazing his way. Even when he heard a commotion outside and sirens wailing in the distance, he brushed it aside as a typically loud afternoon in Hong Kong. It was only when he heard people screaming for help that he got up to look out the window of his eighth-floor apartment. “The instant I opened the window, I saw the smoke,” he told CNN. By then, it was 3:15 p.m. on Wednesday – 30 minutes after an eyewitness first noticed a blaze intensifying in one of eight residential towers making up the Wang Fuk Court public housing complex. A man reacts, as smoke rises while flames engulf bamboo scaffolding across multiple buildings at Wang Fuk Court housing estate, in Tai Po, Hong Kong on November 26, 2025. Tyrone Siu/Reuters Firefighters had arrived on the scene, but the fire had alread…

Hong Kong Charges 7 People and 2 Companies Over Deadly Apartment Fire The fire in the Wang Fuk Court apartment complex in November was the worst Hong Kong had seen in generations.

First charges laid over deadly Hong Kong fire The Wang Fuk Court blaze last year was the deadliest that Hong Kong had seen in 70 years, killing 168 people.

Hong Kong leader orders independent committee to probe cause of deadly ... Hong Kong Chief Executive John Lee has ordered an independent committee, chaired by a judge, to be set up to probe the deadly Tai Po blaze that has killed at least 151 people. Wang Fuk Court on December 1, 2025, in the wake of a deadly fire. Photo: Kyle Lam/HKFP. The committee’s investigation report on the fire will be submitted to the chief executive to assist in systemic reforms to the city’s building management and maintenance regime, Lee said at a Tuesday press conference. Lee said he would contact the judiciary on the matter. “I will make sure the committee works effectively and efficiently. I will see what information the committee needs to exercise its duties,” he said in Cantonese. The death toll from the Wang Fuk Court fire reached 151 on Monday after a special police unit finished searching five of the seven towers affected by the blaze. Secretary for Security Chris Tang said on Monday that seven out of 20 safety netting samples from the Tai Po housing estate did not pass fire safety tests, and that police believed the substandard netting and protective foam boards had caused the rapid spread of t…

Tai Po fire survivor and petition organiser Jason Kong arrested with ... Wang Fuk Court fire survivors Jason Kong and his wife have been arrested for alleged government loan fraud – two weeks after he delivered a petition asking the estate’s administrator to meet with homeowners. Sing Tao Daily reported on Friday morning that Kong and his wife were arrested on Thursday over “money laundering” and “conspiracy to defraud.” Jason Kong, a former member of the Wang Fuk Court owners’ board. Photo: Kyle Lam/HKFP. The couple, both directors of an interior design company, are alleged to have used fraudulent means to obtain several hundred thousand dollars in loans under the government’s Special 100% Loan Guarantee scheme. The scheme was launched by the Hong Kong government in early 2020 to help companies amid the Covid-19 pandemic. According to Sing Tao Daily, Kong allegedly faked the income records for January to March 2020 of his interior design company when he applied for the loan in 2022, “creating the impression that his company was affected by Covid-19.” It is suspected that he obtained “several hundred thousand dollars,” and some funds were transferred to his personal account, the n…

Wang Fuk Court blaze deemed a 'systemic failure' driven by ... The devastating fire at Wang Fuk Court was the result of a "systemic failure" stemming from deep regulatory loopholes and was heavily fueled by a "chimney effect" built into the estate's recessed exterior design, a public inquiry heard on Thursday. The findings emerged during the the last day of the fifth round of public hearing before closing submissions, as experts analysed the blaze that killed 168 on November 26, 2025. Speaking at the hearing, Professor Asif Sohail Usmani, a chair professor of Building Science and Fire Safety Engineering, agreed with the government's inter-departmental investigation findings that a chimney effect rapidly drove the vertical spread of the flames. While most fires went through smouldering and flashover stages, he noted the estate's exterior design exacerbated the chimney effect, breaking windows and allowing fire to spread upwards. Because the fire breached the apartments from the outside rather than originating within, the emergency escape routes at Wang Cheong House—the first residential block to ignite—rendered residents with virtually no time to react or evacuate safely. He e…

12 killed in China building fire weeks after deadly Hong Kong inferno At least 12 people were killed after a fire swept through a residential building in Shantou, Guangdong province, marking mainland China’s most serious blaze since last month’s catastrophic Hong Kong inferno, Chinese media reported. The fire broke out around 9.20 pm (local time) and was extinguished within about 40 minutes, as per the state news agency Xinhua. Local authorities said the blaze affected roughly 150 square metres of the four-storey reinforced concrete building, located in the manufacturing-heavy Chaonan district. The ground floor had been converted into a shop selling household appliances and electrical equipment, an arrangement common in the area, where many families run small businesses from self-built residences. A woman told local media that she lost her parents, grandmother and younger brother in the fire, underscoring the human toll of yet another tragedy linked to unsafe residential setups. Officials confirmed the building was self-built, a category long flagged by fire departments across China for its lax standards, limited stair access, barred windows and lack of emergency exits. Poor or …

Hong Kong charges 7 people and 2 firms over deadly fire that ... - CNN Thick smoke billows from a residential block at Wang Fuk Court housing estate in Tai Po, Hong Kong, on November 27 2025. Tyrone Siu/Reuters Asia China See all topics Facebook Tweet Email Link Threads Link Copied! Follow Hong Kong AP — Hong Kong authorities on Wednesday charged seven people and two companies with offenses including manslaughter and conspiracy over the city’s deadliest fire in decades last November. The massive blaze engulfed seven apartment buildings and killed 168 people on Nov. 26, 2025. Former residents and relatives of the dead have been waiting for answers for months after the fire shattered the close-knit community of Wang Fuk Court, which housed thousands of people in the suburban district of Tai Po. In a statement on Wednesday, authorities said police and the Independent Commission Against Corruption charged the suspects with 25 counts. Money laundering, attempting to pervert the course of public justice and tax evasion were also among the allegations. The seven people played different roles in the major renovation project of Wang Fuk Court. The two companies charged are the project cons…

Independent Hong Kong panel starts hearing into devastating inferno Independent Hong Kong panel starts hearing into devastating inferno Sign up now: Get insights on Asia's fast-moving developments People arrive at the venue where an independent committee conducts evidential hearings for the deadly fire at Wang Fuk Court in Tai Po last November, in Hong Kong, China March 19, 2026. REUTERS/Joyce Zhou Published Mar 19, 2026, 02:37 PM Updated Mar 19, 2026, 03:57 PM Listen HONG KONG, March 19 - Human factors rendered ineffective almost all the fire safety measures at the site of a Hong Kong blaze that killed 168 people in November, the lead lawyer for a panel led by a judge that is investigating the inferno said on Thursday. The Independent Committee set up by Hong Kong leader John Lee to recommend preventive measures began hearings into the Asian financial hub's deadliest fire in decades at the high-rise Wang Fuk housing complex in the precinct of Tai Po. "Only by confronting past mistakes can the city become safer," said the lawyer, Victor Dawes, as he detailed evidence regarding the blaze in the complex of eight blocks that were under extensive renovation. "On the day of the fire, a…

Hong Kong authorities charge seven people after deadly fire The seven people charged included directors and inspectors of a consultancy firm involved in the estate's renovation.

Hong Kong authorities charge seven people, two companies over deadly ... Hong Kong authorities charge seven people, two companies over deadly fire Sign up now: Get insights on Asia's fast-moving developments FILE PHOTO: A rescuer works inside a damaged building at the scene after a deadly fire at the Wang Fuk Court housing complex in Hong Kong, China November 27, 2025. REUTERS/Amr Alfiky/File Photo Published Jun 10, 2026, 08:32 PM Updated Jun 10, 2026, 08:32 PM BEIJING, June 10 - Seven individuals and two companies were charged on Wednesday with 25 counts including manslaughter and conspiracy to defraud in relation to a deadly Hong Kong fire last November that killed 168 people, the Hong Kong government said. The blaze broke out on November 26 last year at the Wang Fuk Court apartment complex in the Tai Po district. It was the deadliest in the city in decades and also displaced thousands. The charges were brought by Hong Kong police and the Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) in two cases. The allegations also include money laundering, attempting to pervert the course of public justice and tax evasion. The two companies charged are the project consultancy firm and the…

Hong Kong charges 7 people and 2 companies over fire that killed 168 people The Wang Fuk Court residential estate fire in Nov. 2025, in Hong Kong's Tai Po district. Dale De La Rey / AFP via Getty Images Share Add NBC News to Google June 10, 2026, 5:34 AM EDT / Source : The Associated Press By The Associated Press HONG KONG — Hong Kong authorities on Wednesday charged seven people and two companies with offenses including manslaughter and conspiracy over the city’s deadliest fire in decades last November. Subscribe to read this story ad-free Get unlimited access to ad-free articles and exclusive content. The massive blaze engulfed seven apartment buildings and killed 168 people on Nov. 26, 2025. Former residents and relatives of the dead have been waiting for answers for months after the fire shattered the close-knit community of Wang Fuk Court , which housed thousands of people in the suburban district of Tai Po. In a statement on Wednesday, authorities said police and the Independent Commission Against Corruption charged the suspects with 25 counts. Money laundering, attempting to pervert the course of public justice and tax evasion were also among the allegations. A resident of …

The probe of Hong Kong's deadliest fire in decades begins hearings Firefighters work to extinguish a fire which broke out Wednesday at Wang Fuk Court, a residential estate in the Tai Po district of Hong Kong’s New Territories, on Nov. 27, 2025. (AP Photo/Chan Long Hei, File) HONG KONG (AP) — An independent committee investigating the cause of Hong Kong’sdeadliest fire in decadesheard accounts Thursday about how a series of failures contributed to the 2025 blaze that engulfed seven buildings and killed 168 people as hearings in the case got underway. Former residents and relatives of the dead have been waiting for answers since November 2025, when the fireshattered the close-knitcommunity of Wang Fuk Court, which housed thousands of people in the suburban district of Tai Po. In his opening remarks, committee lead lawyer Victor Dawes said the most likely cause of the fire was cigarettes that lit other materials on fire on a platform in an air shaft between two low-level units in Wang Cheong House. He said burned paper boxes and cigarette butts were found at the platform, indicating people may have been smoking at places not designated for smoking in violation of rules. At the ti…

Hong Kong fire death toll rises to 128, with 200 still missing and 8 ... Add NBC News to Google Death toll in Hong Kong high-rise fire grows 01:33 Get more news Live on Share Add NBC News to Google Nov. 28, 2025, 3:39 AM EST / Updated Nov. 28, 2025, 8:53 AM EST By Peter Guo and Jay Ganglani HONG KONG — The inferno that tore through a high-rise housing estate in Hong Kong has killed at least 128 people , authorities said Friday, with some 200 people still missing and eight more arrested. Subscribe to read this story ad-free Get unlimited access to ad-free articles and exclusive content. Firefighters combing each apartment in the Wang Fuk Court tower complex found dozens more bodies, officials said at a news conference Friday as smoke from the blaze was still drifting in the air well over 48 hours since it broke out. Hong Kong’s Secretary for Security Chris Tang told reporters Friday that 89 bodies could not yet be identified. Seventy-nine people were injured, he said. Tang declined to identify the genders and ages of the deceased, saying the investigation was ongoing and the data incomplete. But he insisted there was “nothing the government is not willing to release,” and officials…

Hong Kong fire raises suspicions of corruption and lax safety | AP News As the territory mourns over the high-rise apartment fire that killed at least 156 people, frustration is mounting over building safety lapses, suspected construction corruption and lax government oversight. (AP video shot by Ayaka McGill and Jonathan Lee) Hong Kong Chief Executive John Lee speaks during a press conference with a darken screen in the aftermath of a deadly fire in Hong Kong on Tuesday, Dec. 2, 2025. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan) A man consoles a woman at the site of last weeks deadly fire at Wang Fuk Court, a residential estate in the Tai Po district of Hong Kong’s New Territories on Tuesday, Dec. 2, 2025. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan) A woman bows as she offers flowers near the site of a deadly fire at Wang Fuk Court, a residential estate in the Tai Po district of Hong Kong’s New Territories on Tuesday, Dec. 2, 2025. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan) People arrive to offer flowers and prayers at the site of a deadly fire at Wang Fuk Court, a residential estate in the Tai Po district of Hong Kong’s New Territories, on Tuesday, Dec. 2, 2025. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan) People offer flowers for the victims near the site …

Firms charged with manslaughter over deadly Hong Kong fire The Wang Fuk Court blaze last year was the deadliest that Hong Kong had seen in 70 years, killing 168 people.

HONG KONG — Hong Kong authorities on Wednesday charged seven people and two companies with offenses including manslaughter and conspiracy over the city's deadliest fire in decades last November. The massive blaze engulfed seven apartment buildings and killed 168 people on Nov. 26, 2025. Former residents and relatives of the dead have been waiting for answers for months after the fire shattered the close-knit community of Wang Fuk Court, which housed thousands of people in the suburban district of Tai Po. In a statement on Wednesday, authorities said police and the Independent Commission Against Corruption charged the suspects with 25 counts. Money laundering, attempting to pervert the course of public justice and tax evasion were also among the allegations. The seven people played different roles in the major renovation project of Wang Fuk Court. The two companies charged are the project consultancy firm and the main contractor involved in the project. The cases were scheduled to be heard in court Wednesday afternoon. In March, police said they arrested 38 people on accusations related to the complex, including manslaughter and fraud. Nine have been charged, police said. The anti-g…

Hong Kong charges 7 people and 2 firms over massive fire that killed 168 | AP News Smoke rises after a fire broke out at Wang Fuk Court, a residential estate in the Tai Po district of Hong Kong’s New Territories, Nov. 26 2025. (AP Photo/Chan Long Hei, File) HONG KONG (AP) — Hong Kong authorities on Wednesday charged seven people and two building companies with offenses including manslaughter and conspiracy to defraud over the city’sdeadliest fire in decades. The massive blazeengulfed seven apartment buildingsand killed 168 people on Nov. 26, 2025. Former residents and relatives of the dead have been waiting for answers for months after the fireshattered the close-knitcommunity of Wang Fuk Court, which housed thousands of people in the suburban district of Tai Po. In a statement on Wednesday, authorities said police and the Independent Commission Against Corruption charged the suspects with 25 counts including money laundering, attempting to pervert the course of public justice and tax evasion. The two companies charged are consultancy firm Will Power Architects Company, and Prestige Construction & Engineering Co., the main contractor involved in a major renovation project at W…

HONG KONG — Hong Kong authorities on Wednesday charged seven people and two companies with offenses including manslaughter and conspiracy over the city's deadliest fire in decades last November. The massive blaze engulfed seven apartment buildings and killed 168 people on Nov. 26, 2025. Former residents and relatives of the dead have been waiting for answers for months after the fire shattered the close-knit community of Wang Fuk Court, which housed thousands of people in the suburban district of Tai Po. In a statement on Wednesday, authorities said police and the Independent Commission Against Corruption charged the suspects with 25 counts. Money laundering, attempting to pervert the course of public justice and tax evasion were also among the allegations. The seven people played different roles in the major renovation project of Wang Fuk Court. The two companies charged are the project consultancy firm and the main contractor involved in the project. The cases were scheduled to be heard in court Wednesday afternoon. In March, police said they arrested 38 people on accusations related to the complex, including manslaughter and fraud. Nine have been charged, police said. The anti-g…