Hong Kong’s Chief Executive John Lee has ordered a judge-led independent committee to investigate a devastating high-rise blaze at the Wang Fuk Court housing estate in Tai Po that has killed at least 151 people and left many injured and displaced. The move follows intense public scrutiny of building-site practices and growing calls for accountability.
The fire, which began on external scaffolding and spread across seven of the estate’s eight tower blocks, was one of the deadliest in the city’s recent history. Early probes by fire and police investigators point to renovation materials — including construction netting and foam panels on scaffolding — that failed to meet fire-resistance standards and may have accelerated the vertical spread of the blaze. Authorities have said winds and the presence of bamboo and metal scaffolding impeded firefighting and rescue efforts.
Police and anti-corruption investigators have arrested more than a dozen people in connection with the disaster, including scaffolding contractors, company directors and engineering consultants on suspicion of manslaughter and related offences. Officials say they are also probing possible corruption and regulatory failings tied to the renovation works. John Lee said the independent, judge-chaired committee would “uncover the truth” and recommend reforms to prevent similar tragedies.
The inquiry announcement comes amid wider public anger and activism: volunteers, residents and relatives of victims have held memorials and demanded answers, while some civic activists and individuals who called publicly for independent investigations have faced questioning and arrests under other laws, raising concerns from rights groups about the space for public scrutiny. Beijing’s national security office has warned against what it called attempts to exploit the tragedy to sow unrest.
Government agencies say emergency services have completed searches of most affected buildings and are working to identify victims and support survivors, including temporary rehousing and compensation arrangements for families — with officials promising systemic reviews of scaffolding and construction-safety rules across the territory. The new judge-led committee will be tasked with establishing cause, assigning responsibility where appropriate, and proposing changes to safety oversight and industry practices.
English