Hong Kong Housing Secretary Resigns After Fire Inquiry

Hong Kong Chief Executive John Lee announced on Thursday that Housing Secretary Winnie Ho resigned. Lee stated that Ho should bear political responsibility for the city's deadliest fire in decades. He noted that while no personal wrongdoing was found, her departure was necessary following the final report on regulatory failures.

The blaze began in November last year at Wang Fuk Court, an apartment complex in a northern suburban district. The fire spread across seven buildings, killing 168 people and displacing thousands of residents. The complex was undergoing maintenance work at the time of the incident.

An independent committee investigated the disaster and found that the Housing Bureau's checking unit failed to supervise the maintenance contractors properly. This finding separated administrative oversight from the ongoing criminal cases. Seven individuals and two companies have been charged with offenses including manslaughter and conspiracy to defraud.

Prosecutors alleged that the two firms and several defendants conspired to win the renovation contract. They concealed previous litigation records from the company that eventually secured the project. The contract was valued at more than 300 million Hong Kong dollars, or over $38 million.

Lee and seven other senior officials bowed at a news conference to apologize to the public. Former residents of Wang Fuk Court have waited nearly a year for this accountability. Many lost loved ones and homes during the fire. The resignation concludes the administrative phase of the inquiry.