Hong Kong chief executive John Lee and seven other officials apologised on Thursday for government failings behind the Wang Fuk Court fire in Tai Po, which killed 168 people, according to the Guardian. The apology came as an independent report on the blaze cited "decades of failure."
The fire is the world’s deadliest residential fire since 1980, according to the Guardian. The report said four government departments "should bear part of the responsibility" for the high number of casualties.
The report found the "main culprits" were private contractors, but it also accused officials of "lax enforcement," according to the Guardian. Housing secretary Winnie Ho has resigned, and Lee said she should "bear political responsibility."
Several Wang Fuk Court residents told the South China Morning Post that Ho’s resignation could not answer for failings across departments, and that the apology came too late, according to excerpts of that outlet’s reporting. The full SCMP article was not reviewed for this report.
The fire began as a small blaze, probably started by a cigarette, and grew into an inferno last November, according to the Guardian. It enveloped seven of the eight towers in Wang Fuk Court, which was covered in bamboo scaffolding and netting for renovations.
Authorities have charged seven individuals and two companies, including with manslaughter, and at least 35 people have been arrested, according to the Guardian. Critics say the government has focused more on clamping down on criticism than on the causes of the disaster. Some observers wanted a more legally powerful inquiry commission.
What happens next: a three-month investigation into the government’s role is set to begin. Authorities have also proposed systematic reforms, including criminalising bid-rigging and overhauling the complaints system.
Several key details rest on the Guardian alone, including the 168 death toll and the charge figures, and no second source was available to confirm them. It is not yet reported whether the government has responded to calls from Yip Ka-kui that department secretaries should step down, or whether any other officials will resign. The outcome of the three-month investigation is not yet known.
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This article was written with AI assistance from the published reporting listed above. It is part of the World Brief daily news podcast.