29th October 2026 – (Hong Kong) An independent committee’s final report has found that Prestige Construction & Engineering, Will Power Architects and a registered inspector carry the greatest responsibility for the Wang Fuk Court blaze that killed 168 people nearly a year ago, concluding their actions went far beyond oversight or negligence.
The 16‑chapter report of almost 1,200 pages said the contractor and consultant were fully aware of acute fire risks during renovation but ignored residents’ repeated complaints, while unsafe practices and substandard materials—such as non‑fire‑retardant scaffolding nets and flammable foam boards used to cover windows—were allowed to persist. The committee also said both firms should be held to account for fire service installations that failed during the emergency.
Management figures at the companies, including Hau Wa‑kin and Gordon Ho at Prestige, and Jason Wong at Will Power, together with registered inspector Wilson Ng—engaged by Will Power to oversee the works—were singled out for “the most severe criticisms.” The inquiry additionally named other firms for varying degrees of culpability, citing practices that appeared aimed at feigning compliance during inspections.
Among those criticised were Gain Profit Shed Industry, alleged to have swapped in fire‑retardant nets only for official checks; ISS EastPoint Properties, the estate’s former manager, for allowing unqualified staff to switch off power to fire alarm systems; Victory Fire Engineering, the registered fire services contractor, for passivity on safety issues; and China Status Development and Engineering Company, described as a “dummy” contractor filing paperwork to satisfy regulators.
The committee’s findings follow months of hearings into Hong Kong’s deadliest fire in decades, with authorities noting the disaster engulfed most blocks in the Tai Po estate and confirming a final death toll of 168 earlier this year. Publication of the report is intended to underpin accountability and reforms to close systemic gaps exposed by the tragedy.