Hong Kong's Chief Executive John Lee has apologised over the government's handling of the Wang Fuk Court fire, the deadliest blaze the city had seen in decades. The blaze tore through the high-rise complex in November 2025.

Hong Kong's Chief Executive, John Lee, apologised this week over the government's handling of the Wang Fuk Court fire, one of the deadliest blazes the city has seen in decades. The fire tore through the high-rise residential complex in November 2025, and the anniversary has renewed public anger over how preventable the disaster could have been.

Investigators have focused on bamboo scaffolding and protective netting wrapped around the building during renovation work, which fire officials say accelerated the spread of flames between floors. Residents and victims' families have accused the Housing Department and private contractors of lax enforcement of fire-safety rules, and several officials have faced disciplinary reviews since the blaze.

Lee's apology came alongside a pledge to tighten oversight of renovation contractors and review flammable-material standards used across the city's thousands of ageing public housing blocks. Lawmakers have called for an independent inquiry, and the government said it would publish updated findings before the end of the year.