Hong Kong fires: 25 manslaughter charges filed after tragedy
Hong Kong authorities have formally charged two construction companies and seven individuals in connection with the November 2023 fire that destroyed the Wang Fuk Court housing complex and claimed 168 lives.
The 25 accusations include manslaughter, conspiracy to defraud, attempts to pervert the course of public justice and tax evasion. Officials allege that faulty fire safety measures—such as deactivated alarms in seven of eight residential blocks—and the use of flammable foam on boarded windows were major causes of the blaze.
The investigation, led by a government committee chaired by Victor Dawes, details how construction workers littered cigarette butts during renovations and how the fire alarms were intentionally disabled. Earlier this year a public inquiry revealed “nearly all” fire systems failed because of human error.
Charges were filed against the project’s consultancy firm and the main contractor, “Prestige Construction and Engineering Company,” along with the directors of the consulting firm and the registered inspector. The companies and individuals remain unnamed in official statements, but the crackdown followed a similar arrest of two directors of structural engineering consultancy Will Power Architects in 2024.
By March, police had arrested 35 people on accusations of manslaughter and fraud, while the anti‑graft watchdog had taken a separate case against 23 others including contractors and owners’ corporation members. The total number of charges is still evolving.
The government has warned media outlets against “false information” or “smear” campaigns regarding the crisis, citing public anger and the need for factual reporting. Beijing’s National Security Bureau also recently detained columnist Wong Kwok‑ngon, accusing him of publishing seditious content about the fire response.
