Hong Kong Officials Bow and Apologise over Apartment Fire

Hong Kong officials bowed and apologised on Thursday over the Wang Fuk Court apartment fire, which killed 168 people. Housing Minister Winnie Ho resigned following the blaze in Tai Po last November.

Hong Kong leader John Lee announced the apology while bowing. He promised a comprehensive reform of the territory’s construction industry and regulatory system, Reuters reported on Friday, 30 October 2026.

The fire, which broke out on 26 November, engulfed seven 31-storey towers at the Wang Fuk Court residential complex, which was undergoing renovation. It was the city’s deadliest fire since 1948. Thousands of residents were forced to leave after their homes became uninhabitable.

Lee made his statement shortly before releasing a report of more than 1,000 pages, drawn up by a panel led by a judge. The report detailed governance and oversight failures in Hong Kong’s building renovation system.

Ho was the first official to resign over the fire. The Hong Kong government has formed an independent team to investigate which officials should be held accountable.