Hong Kong’s leader said on Tuesday that an independent committee will investigate the causes of the city’s deadliest fire in decades, after authorities found substandard building materials had accelerated the blaze.
The fire engulfed seven residential towers under renovation in the north of the city last week, killing at least 156 people, displacing thousands more, and fuelling public demands for accountability.
Of the 156 people confirmed to have died, 29 had yet to be identified, police told reporters on Tuesday. Another 30 people remained unaccounted for.
Police said they had arrested 15 people on suspicion of manslaughter, after an initial probe found that the netting used on exterior scaffolding fell short of fire-resistance standards.
Firefighters spray water during a major fire at the Wang Fuk Court residential estate in Hong Kong’s Tai Po district on November 26, 2025. At least four people were killed when a fire engulfed several high-rise blocks in a Hong Kong residential estate on November 26, the government said, with media reporting that some residents were trapped inside. (Photo by Peter PARKS / AFP)
“I will establish an independent committee to conduct a comprehensive and in-depth review to reform the building work system and prevent similar tragedies from occurring in the future,” city leader John Lee told a news conference.
The committee will be led by a judge to ensure its independence and credibility, he said.
“The responsible culprits tried to mix up substandard nets with qualified nets so as to cheat inspection and law enforcement agencies,” Lee added, calling the suspects “evil”.
He told AFP that authorities had already identified several failures and pledged reforms to “the whole building renovation system to ensure that such things will not happen again”.
While Hong Kong has seen an outpouring of grief, local media reported that several people who were calling for answers and accountability had been arrested.
Icy Luo, a 27-year-old resident who came to the charred Wang Fuk Court housing estate to pray for the victims, told AFP that “the truth of this matter is still far from entirely clear.”
Miles Kwan, a 24-year-old student, was reportedly arrested by police for “seditious intent” after handing out flyers demanding government accountability.
An online petition containing Kwan’s four demands, including an independent probe, gathered more than 10,000 signatures in less than a day before it was wiped.
Kwan left a police station on Monday, an AFP reporter saw.
Former district councillor Kenneth Cheung was also taken by police, local media reported. He later said he had been released on bail.
Human Rights Watch urged the Hong Kong government on Tuesday to “ensure a transparent investigation and accountability”.
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