BEIJING, June 10 (Reuters) – Seven individuals and two companies were charged on Wednesday with 25 counts including manslaughter and conspiracy to defraud in relation to a deadly Hong Kong fire last November that killed 168 people, the Hong Kong government said.
The blaze broke out on November 26 last year at the Wang Fuk Court apartment complex in the Tai Po district. It was the deadliest in the city in decades and also displaced thousands.
The charges were brought by Hong Kong police and the Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) in two cases. The allegations also include money laundering, attempting to pervert the course of public justice and tax evasion.
The two companies charged are the project consultancy firm and the main contractor involved in a renovation project at Wang Fuk Court.
The individuals, including directors of the two companies, played different roles in the renovation project. They were brought to court on Wednesday afternoon, the government said in a statement.
The Hong Kong government said police and the ICAC have set up the largest joint investigation task force in recent years to probe the cause of the fire and possible corruption related to the renovation project, and have arrested 35 individuals so far.
Builders have been renovating the complex since July 2024. At the time of the blaze, each tower was surrounded by bamboo scaffolding and sheathed in green construction mesh.
The two cases were adjourned to September 2. The government said investigations are continuing.
(Reporting by Shi Bu and Liz Lee, Editing by William Maclean)