Hong Kong leader John Lee apologises for Tai Po fire that killed 168 people

Hong Kong Chief Executive John Lee apologised on Thursday for the deadly fire in Tai Po. The fire broke out in November 2025 and killed 168 people. France 24, Reuters and The Japan Times all reported the apology.

The apology followed a report by an independent committee into the fire. According to France 24, which credits AP, the committee found regulatory failures.

Resignation and reforms

According to France 24, Lee said Housing Secretary Winnie Ho resigned on Wednesday. France 24 quoted Lee as saying Ho "should bear political responsibility", although no personal wrongdoing was found. Lee and seven other top officials bowed in apology at the start of the news conference, France 24 reported.

According to The Japan Times, Lee promised swift but extensive reforms to the building industry and regulatory system. France 24 reported that officials proposed measures including criminalising bid rigging. According to France 24, Lee said four government agencies would face a three-month investigation into whether staff were derelict in their duties.

The fire

According to France 24, the fire engulfed seven buildings at the Wang Fuk Court complex during maintenance work. It injured 79 people and displaced thousands. Reuters described it as Hong Kong's worst fire since World War Two.

According to France 24, the committee's report said evidence pointed to a lighted cigarette as the cause. The committee heard substantial evidence that workers smoked on site, including on scaffolding. Experts found that foam boards and non-fire-retardant scaffolding nets and canvases helped the fire spread. France 24 reported that most deaths were caused by smoke inhalation. It also reported that the fire alarm system had been shut down.

What each side says

The committee named the consultant, Will Power Architects Company, and the main contractor, Prestige Construction & Engineering Co., as "the main culprits responsible for the occurrence of the inferno and the high fatalities in the tragic incident", according to France 24. The report also criticised regulators: "In each case, the regulator’s reliance on the good faith of the regulated parties left obvious fire hazards uninvestigated." It found that the Housing Bureau's Independent Checking Unit and the Buildings Department failed in their supervisory duties.

According to France 24, Lee said the Buildings, Fire Services and Labour departments had shortcomings in supervising fire hazards at the complex.

Separately, seven people and the two companies have been charged with offences including manslaughter and conspiracy to defraud, France 24 reported. Authorities allege the two companies and some defendants conspired to defraud apartment owners by concealing the previous litigation records of the company later awarded the renovation contract. That contract was worth more than HK$300 million (over US$38 million).

What the reports do not include

The reports reviewed by Vocemundi do not include responses from Ho, the two companies or the seven people charged. They do not name the seven individuals and, beyond the charges themselves, give no further details of the criminal proceedings.

Analysis

The findings place responsibility on both private firms and public regulators. This could shape how the proposed reforms are designed. One possible path is tighter oversight of contractors and consultants, including the proposed bid-rigging offence. Another is internal change at the agencies under investigation, depending on what the three-month review finds. The criminal cases may also test the committee's conclusions in court, under different standards of proof. Ho's resignation, despite no personal wrongdoing being found, may draw attention to how political accountability works in Hong Kong. Lee pledged broad reforms to the building industry and regulatory system, but the reports reviewed by Vocemundi give no detailed measures beyond the bid-rigging proposal and no implementation timetable.

Produced by the Vocemundi newsroom with AI assistance.