Tai Po fire: 150% surge in building renovation corruption complaints after deadly blaze

Complaints alleging corruption in major renovation projects in Hong Kong saw a dramatic 150% increase in the first four months of 2026, following the deadly Wang Fuk Court fire. The Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) reported this surge, attributing it to heightened public scrutiny of building maintenance works after the November blaze that killed 168 people and displaced thousands.

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Following the Wang Fuk Court fire, public concern over building maintenance works surged, leading to a significant rise in related complaints.

Kelvin Wong, Acting Chairman of the Advisory Committee on Corruption, noted that while overall corruption complaints in Hong Kong decreased last year, the rise in renovation-related complaints reflects increased public vigilance. He stated that these reports aid the ICAC in preventing corruption at an early stage. The issues leading to the Tai Po fire are not isolated but represent a systemic problem within the sector, he added, comparing the ongoing fight against corruption to the continuous need for healthcare despite medical advancements.

Bernard Chan, Chairman of the Operations Review Committee, asserted that the ICAC had been consistently focused on the building maintenance sector, refuting claims that awareness of the industry's problems only arose after the fire. He anticipates the government's report on the fire will offer recommendations for authorities and stakeholders. The ICAC plans to collaborate with government reforms, including assisting the Urban Renewal Authority (URA) in reviewing its "Smart Tender" platform and conducting background checks to create a whitelist of legitimate companies, barring those with corruption records.

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this does not mean it can be eradicated forever, just as people still get sick despite advancements in modern medicine.

Last week, seven individuals connected to the consultancy and construction firms involved in the Wang Fuk Court renovation works were charged with multiple offenses. These include manslaughter, conspiracy to defraud, money laundering, attempting to pervert the course of public justice, and tax evasion. The ICAC received 1,780 corruption complaints in 2025, excluding election-related cases.

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Having participated in these discussions for all these years, I can say that the building maintenance sector has always been a problematic industry, one that the ICAC has consistently focused on.