Hong Kong charges 7 people and 2 firms over deadly fire that killed 168

HONG KONG (AP) — Hong Kong authorities on Wednesday charged seven people and two companies with offenses including manslaughter and conspiracy over the city's deadliest fire in decades last November.

The massive blaze engulfed seven apartment buildings and killed 168 people on Nov. 26, 2025. Former residents and relatives of the dead have been waiting for answers for months after the fire shattered the close-knit community of Wang Fuk Court, which housed thousands of people in the suburban district of Tai Po.

In a statement on Wednesday, authorities said police and the Independent Commission Against Corruption charged the suspects with 25 counts. Money laundering, attempting to pervert the course of public justice and tax evasion were also among the allegations.

The seven people played different roles in the major renovation project of Wang Fuk Court. The two companies charged are the project consultancy firm and the main contractor involved in the project.

The cases were scheduled to be heard in court Wednesday afternoon.

In March, police said they arrested 38 people on accusations related to the complex, including manslaughter and fraud. Nine have been charged, police said. The anti-graft agency said in the same month that they also arrested 23 people on suspicion of offenses such as bribery and conspiracy to defraud.

Victor 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.