Winnie Ho quits as HK fire probe finds bureau failed to oversee maintenance

Hong Kong Housing Secretary Winnie Ho resigned on Wednesday, a move announced by Chief Executive John Lee at a news conference on Thursday. Lee stated that Ho should bear political responsibility for the city’s deadliest fire in decades, even though the investigation did not find personal wrongdoing on her part. At the start of the briefing, Lee and seven other senior officials bowed in apology to the public.

The resignation follows a report by an independent committee that examined the regulatory failures surrounding the disaster. The committee determined that the Housing Bureau’s independent checking unit failed in its duty to supervise maintenance operations at the apartment complex. The fire, which occurred in a northern suburban district in November of last year, killed 168 people and displaced thousands of residents.

Wang Fuk Court residents have waited nearly a year for accountability regarding the loss of their homes and loved ones. The buildings were undergoing renovation work when the blaze engulfed the complex. The investigation into the administrative failures runs parallel to separate criminal proceedings.

Prosecutors have charged seven individuals and two companies with offenses including manslaughter and conspiracy to defraud. Authorities alleged that the firms conspired to conceal previous litigation records before securing a renovation contract worth more than 300 million Hong Kong dollars, or over 38 million U.S. dollars.

The inquiry highlights the gap between private contractors and public oversight in housing maintenance. The finding that the checking unit did not fulfill its supervisory role suggests systemic weaknesses in how the government monitored high-value construction projects during the disaster.