Hong Kong authorities charged seven people and two firms with manslaughter and fraud over a fire at Wang Fuk Court that killed 168 people in November 2025. The blaze, the city's deadliest in decades, is blamed on serious negligence during a renovation, including the use of flammable materials and deactivated fire alarms. The firms allegedly won the $38M contract through fraud, and a total of 35 people have been arrested in the investigation.
Wang Fuk Court fire charges
- ▪Individuals charged with manslaughter include Will Power director Wong Hap-yin, registered inspector Ng Yeuk, and Prestige Construction director Ho Kin-yip
- ▪The two companies charged are consultancy firm Will Power Architects Co. and main contractor Prestige Construction & Engineering Co.
- ▪The fire at Wang Fuk Court on November 26, 2025, killed 168 people and was the city's deadliest in over 70 years
- ▪The charges include manslaughter, conspiracy to defraud, money laundering, attempting to pervert the course of public justice, and tax evasion
- ▪The court hearing for the charged individuals and companies is scheduled to resume in September
- ▪Hong Kong authorities charged seven people and two companies with 25 offenses over the Wang Fuk Court fire
Renovation safety negligence
- ▪Police found serious negligence in monitoring materials and procedures during the renovation project at Wang Fuk Court
- ▪An independent committee found that fire alarms in seven residential blocks were deactivated and windows were boarded with flammable foam boards
Fire spread factors
- ▪The blaze, which occurred during a major renovation, engulfed seven apartment buildings at Wang Fuk Court
- ▪The use of non-fire-retardant scaffolding netting and foam boards is suspected of causing the fire to spread rapidly and block escape routes
Tender fraud conspiracy
- ▪The companies and some defendants allegedly conspired to defraud apartment owners by concealing Prestige's litigation history and inflating its tender score
- ▪Some of the accused also allegedly defrauded the government by falsely claiming a Will Power inspector had supervised 86 other building maintenance projects
- ▪The alleged fraud led to Prestige Construction & Engineering Co. being awarded a renovation contract worth over $38 million (300 million Hong Kong dollars)
Corruption investigation arrests
- ▪The three men charged with manslaughter—Ho Kin-yip, Wong Hap-yin, and Ng Yeuk—were denied bail
- ▪Police and the Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) arrested 35 people during the investigation into the fire
- ▪The ICAC separately arrested 23 people, including consultants, contractors, and members of the complex's owners' corporation
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