Seven individuals and two firms charged in connection with Hong Kong's deadliest apartment fire

Hong Kong authorities announced Wednesday that seven individuals and two companies involved in a renovation project at Wang Fuk Court have been charged with a total of 25 offences, including manslaughter, conspiracy to defraud, money laundering, tax evasion and attempts to pervert the course of public justice. The charges stem from the Nov. 26, 2025 fire that engulfed seven apartment blocks in the Tai Po district and killed 168 people.

The two firms – Will Power Architects Company and Prestige Construction & Engineering Co. – were the main contractor and consultancy for the renovation work underway at the time of the blaze. Directors of both companies, as well as a registered inspector from Will Power, were among those charged with manslaughter. Several defendants also face conspiracy to defraud charges linked to alleged manipulation of tender documents and concealment of prior litigation to secure a contract worth more than HK$300 million.

Senior police superintendent Basil Tang said investigators found serious negligence in monitoring construction materials and safety procedures, citing the use of non-fire-retardant scaffolding netting and foam boards that may have accelerated the fire’s spread and blocked escape routes. "The above work arrangements are suspected of seriously affecting the building’s fire safety, causing the fire to spread rapidly, and also obstructing escape routes, resulting in massive casualties," Tang told reporters.

Hazel Law, principal investigator of the Independent Commission Against Corruption, indicated that further law-enforcement actions could follow, adding that some individuals may have employed corrupt practices and fraud for personal gain. "We suspect that some people, for their own personal gain, not only failed to fulfill their professional responsibilities, but even used suspected corrupt practices, fraud and other illegal acts to achieve their purposes," Law said.

The court hearing, during which victims' names were read from the charge sheets for the first time publicly, will resume in September. Police and the anti-corruption agency have so far arrested 35 people while investigating the fire’s cause and related corruption allegations.