Hong Kong charges seven over deadliest fire in decades

Hong Kong authorities have charged seven people and two companies in connection with the deadliest residential building fire in decades, which claimed 168 lives at the Wang Fuk Court public housing estate in 2025. The charges, announced on June 10, encompass offenses such as manslaughter, conspiracy to defraud, money laundering, and tax evasion.

The massive blaze, which engulfed seven of the eight high-rise blocks in November, led to a months-long investigation. Public hearings revealed that critical fire safety measures had failed due to human errors. The seven individuals charged include directors and inspectors from a consultancy firm involved in the estate's renovation, along with the main contractor.

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today charged seven individuals and two companies with 25 counts of offences, including manslaughter, conspiracy to defraud, ‘money laundering’, attempting to pervert the course of public justice, and tax evasion

Key points of the probe focused on substandard construction safety netting and cigarette butts as potential ignition sources. The investigation also found that fire alarm systems for seven of the eight blocks had been deactivated, significantly reducing evacuation time for residents. Furthermore, required fire-retardant nets were not used in many areas, and windows were covered with foam boards, which may have accelerated the fire's spread.

Thousands of residents were displaced by the fire and have since been relocated to temporary housing.

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greatly shortened the time for residents to evacuate