Hong Kong leader apologises for Wang Fu Court fire, 168 dead
Hong Kong Chief Executive John Lee and senior officials bowed to apologise for a fire at Wang Fu Court in Tai Po that killed 168 people and affected 1,984 families, following an independent commission report. Lee expressed deep sorrow over the tragedy.
Hong Kong Chief Executive John Lee, accompanied by a delegation of senior officials, bowed to the public at a press conference on 29 October 2026 to offer an apology for the Wang Fu Court fire in Tai Po. The apology came after the release of a report by an independent commission of inquiry into the disaster.
Officials present included Chief Secretary for Administration Eric Chan, Financial Secretary Paul Chan, Secretary for Justice Rimsky Yuen, Secretary for Security Tang Siu-keung, Secretary for Labour and Welfare Sun Yuk-han, and Secretary for Development Ngon Sun-wan.
Lee said the fire had caused 168 deaths and affected 1,984 families, bringing grief to the victims and sorrow to society. He said he felt deeply saddened as Chief Executive and offered an apology to the public.
The Wang Fu Court fire, which occurred earlier this year, has been one of the deadliest residential blazes in Hong Kong's history. The independent commission was set up to investigate the cause of the fire and the response of authorities.
The government has pledged to implement the commission's recommendations to prevent future tragedies and to provide support to the affected families.