Hong Kong Buildings Department files 259 charges over Wang Fuk Court fire

Hong Kong's Buildings Department has launched 259 prosecutions against two companies and four individuals following a fatal fire at the Wang Fuk Court housing estate. The charges involve the use of defective or substandard materials and a failure to adequately supervise renovation works. The two companies facing charges are the project consultant, Will Power Architects, and the main contractor, Prestige Construction & Engineering. The four individuals are Will Power director Wong Hap-yin and inspector Wilson Ng, along with Prestige directors Hau Wa-kin and Ho Kin-yip.

Investigations by the Buildings Department and the Housing Bureau's Independent Checking Unit found that non-fire-retardant styrofoam boards and scaffold netting were used. Additionally, fireproof windows along the emergency fire escape stairwell were removed to create temporary access, which allowed smoke and fire to enter the buildings. These failures contributed to 168 fatalities and 79 injuries during the blaze in November of last year.

These latest charges follow previous legal actions. In June, the same individuals and companies faced manslaughter charges. Other allegations include conspiracy to defraud, money laundering, and tax evasion. Furthermore, the Labour Department filed 25 charges on Wednesday against the contractor, the consultant, and one individual regarding the deaths of five contractors' staff.

Center-left reporting emphasizes systemic failures, noting that an independent committee heard testimony regarding potential collusive tendering and rubber-stamp inspections. It also highlights that a senior government surveyor admitted to alerting the consultant before site checks. Center-right reporting focuses more on the specific legal charges and the government's assertion that it has spared no effort in its investigations.