As Hong Kong marks the 29th anniversary of its return to Chinese rule on July 1, the South China Morning Post talks to the city’s senior officials about the administration’s achievements so far and what may lie ahead. Hong Kong will step up building renovation inspections and consider spot checks following lessons from the deadly…
Hong Kong authorities have officially extended a buy-back offer to the only residential block spared in the deadly Wang Fuk Court blaze after more than three-quarters of households indicated their intention to sell their flats to the government. Owners of 78 per cent of the flats in the other seven blocks at the Tai Po…
Residents stand in front of the buildings ravaged by the massive fire in Wang Fuk Court housing estate, in Hong Kong’s Tai Po district on March 24, 2026. (EDMOND TANG / CHINA DAILY) Over 77 percent of Wang Fuk Court flat owners in Tai Po, which was ravaged by a deadly fire that killed 168…
As Hong Kong marks the 29th anniversary of its return to Chinese rule on July 1, the South China Morning Post talks to the city’s senior officials about the administration’s achievements so far and what may lie ahead. Authorities will arrest and prosecute anyone if there is evidence of their wrongdoing in the Tai Po…
Hong Kong’s deadliest inferno in decades was a result of a “systemic failure” in public policy, two fire engineering experts have said, citing the lack of strategies to fight flames on the facades of high-rise buildings and the prolonged use of combustible materials in “temporary” works. An independent committee inquiry heard on Thursday that last…
This story has been made freely available as a public service to our readers. Please consider supporting SCMP’s journalism by subscribing. An independent committee will wrap up hearing testimony from experts on the factors behind Hong Kong’s deadliest fire in decades, with the legal representatives to make their closing remarks in mid-July. Polytechnic University professors…
This story has been made freely available as a public service to our readers. Please consider supporting SCMP’s journalism by subscribing. A judge-led panel investigating Hong Kong’s deadliest fire in decades has resumed its public inquiry after a six-week break to hear expert evidence on the cause of the blaze that killed 168 people last…
An independent committee investigating Hong Kong’s deadliest fire in decades has ruled out seeking statutory powers to compel witnesses to testify, a move that has left some survivors concerned that key figures may avoid scrutiny. Committee chairman Justice David Lok Kai-hong said the panel would not ask the chief executive to convert it into a…
Requiring that only incombustible materials be used for large-scale renovations at housing estates is unrealistic and fails to take into account risks that arise after prolonged use, a public inquiry into Hong Kong’s deadliest inferno in decades has heard. The use of polyfoam boards to seal windows was among five key factors that led to…
Eight companies and 12 individuals suspected of rigging bids for at least 11 building maintenance projects in Hong Kong, including at Wang Fuk Court where 168 people died in a fire last year, are expected to face a month-long trial no earlier than 2028. The Competition Tribunal held its first hearing on Wednesday for the…