Hong Kong Charges Seven People and Two Firms Over November Fire
Authorities filed 25 counts including manslaughter and conspiracy against seven individuals and two companies tied to a November 2025 blaze that killed 168 people. The case centers on a major renovation at Wang Fuk Court in Tai Po.
The Boston GlobeHong Kong authorities on Wednesday charged seven people and two companies with 25 counts including manslaughter, conspiracy, money laundering, attempting to pervert the course of public justice, and tax evasion. The charges stem from the Nov. 26, 2025 fire that engulfed seven apartment buildings at Wang Fuk Court and killed 168 residents.
The two companies are the project consultancy firm and the main contractor for the renovation.
March, police arrested 38 people on related accusations of manslaughter and fraud, nine of whom have now been charged. The anti-graft agency separately arrested 23 people that month on suspicion of bribery and conspiracy to defraud. Former residents and relatives of those killed have waited months for answers after the fire shattered the Wang Fuk Court community in Tai Po.
Dawes, a lawyer representing an independent committee conducting an ongoing inquiry into the fire’s cause, previously said almost all fire safety systems failed on the day of the blaze because of human error. The cases were scheduled to be heard in court Wednesday afternoon.
