Wire reporting: (AP, via KSL)

Hong Kong Chief Executive John Lee apologized Thursday for a November 2025 high-rise fire at Wang Fuk Court in Tai Po that killed 168 people, and he pledged government reforms, BBC and Rappler reported^1,3.

Lee bowed with senior officials and said he was deeply sorrowful, apologizing to victims and residents^1,3. He announced that Housing Secretary Winnie Ho had resigned to take political responsibility^1,3,8.

An independent committee report, more than 1,000 pages, said the fire was most likely started by a glowing source, likely a cigarette, that ignited paper during renovations^1,3. It found private-sector misconduct and decades of failure by government bodies^1,8.

Contractors used non-fire-retardant scaffolding nets and flammable window boards and falsified paperwork, the report said¹. Prestige Construction and Will Power Architects were assigned primary private-sector blame; four departments including the Housing Bureau's Independent Checking Unit were also faulted^3,8.

Lee said bid-rigging would be criminalized with long jail terms and heavy fines, and that a housing checking unit would be replaced^1,8. Rappler reported at least 25 criminal charges against companies and individuals, including manslaughter and fraud counts³.

The complex housed about 4,600 people, many elderly¹. South China Morning Post said Beijing's offices praised the apology and reforms and warned against politicizing the disaster⁸.