Hong Kong officials have filed charges against seven individuals and two companies for various offenses, including manslaughter and conspiracy to defraud, in connection with the city’s deadliest fire in many years. The fire, which occurred on Nov. 26, 2025, claimed the lives of 168 individuals and destroyed seven apartment buildings in the close-knit community of Wang Fuk Court in Tai Po.
Authorities announced on Wednesday that the suspects face a total of 25 charges, including money laundering, attempting to obstruct justice, and tax evasion. The accused individuals were involved in different capacities in the extensive renovation project at Wang Fuk Court. The two companies implicated are Will Power Architects Company, a project consultancy firm, and Prestige Construction & Engineering Co., the primary contractor for the project.
The defendants, including directors of the companies and a registered inspector from Will Power, appeared in court on Wednesday afternoon. They were identified as Wong Hap-yin, Hau Wa-kin, Ho Kin-yip, Ng Yeuk, Hung Kwok-wai, Chung So-fan, and Lin Min. The individuals acknowledged the charges during the court proceedings, displaying mostly calm demeanors.
Earlier in March, authorities had detained 38 individuals in connection to the fire, with allegations ranging from manslaughter to fraud. Nine of them have been formally charged. Additionally, 23 people were arrested by the anti-graft agency on suspicion of offenses such as bribery and conspiracy to defraud during the same month.
Victor Dawes, a legal representative for an independent committee investigating the fire’s cause, had previously stated that human error led to the failure of almost all fire safety systems on the day of the tragic blaze.
