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

HONG KONG (AP) — Hong Kong authorities on Wednesday charged seven people and two companies with offenses including manslaughter and conspiracy to defraud over the city's deadliest fire in decades. 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, Will Power Architects Company, and Prestige Construction & Engineering Co., the main contractor involved in the project. The seven defendants, Wong Hap-yin, Hau Wa-kin, Ho Kin-yip, Ng Yeuk, Hung Kwok-wai, Chung So-fan and Lin Min, were brought to court Wednesday afternoon. Authorities said they included directors of the two companies and a registered inspector of Will Power. The defendants told the court that they understood the charges, and most appeared calm. In March, police said they arrested 38 people on accusations related to the fire, 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 inquiryinto the fire's cause, previously said almost all fire safety systems failed on the day of the blaze because of human error.