Hong Kong Launches Judge-Led Probe After Deadly Tai Po Fire Claims 156 Lives

People praying as they pay their respects to the victims of the deadly fire at a makeshift memorial next to the Wang Fuk Court housing complex, in Tai Po. 

Hong Kong has ordered a judge-led inquiry into the city’s deadliest fire in decades, which killed at least 156 people at the Wang Fuk Court residential complex in Tai Po. The blaze, which tore through the densely populated housing estate last week, has shaken the city and raised urgent questions about building safety and oversight.

Chief Executive John Lee announced that the committee will investigate the cause of the inferno and examine whether renovation practices and government oversight contributed to the tragedy. Authorities suspect that construction materials and renovation work may have intensified the flames, trapping residents inside the towers.

Police have already arrested more than a dozen individuals on suspicion of manslaughter and corruption, as part of parallel criminal and anti-graft investigations. It remains unclear whether some suspects face charges in both cases.

The fire, described as the worst in Hong Kong since 1948, has prompted widespread grief. Residents and mourners have gathered at makeshift memorials near the site, laying flowers and offering prayers for the victims.

The inquiry is expected to deliver recommendations aimed at preventing similar disasters in the future, while also addressing long-standing concerns about building safety standards in one of the world’s most densely populated cities.