Cigarette likely cause of catastrophic Hong Kong fire, report finds

The Hong Kong government was partially responsible for a catastrophic fire that killed 168 people, a report has found.

The fire at Wang Fuk Court in November 2025 engulfed several residential tower blocks and was the world's deadliest residential building blaze since 1980.

On Thursday Hong Kong chief executive John Lee announced the resignation of Housing Secretary Winnie Ho, the first official to stand down over the inferno.

The press conference marked the release of a 1,000-page independent report that detailed wide-ranging governance and supervisory failings in Hong Kong's building renovation system.

The report found that the "fire was most likely caused by a glowing source, likely a cigarette, which ignited paper materials on the flat roof outside".

"As chief executive and head of the government, I am deeply saddened," Mr Lee said.

"I would like to apologise to the affected residents and the general public."

The report said that four government bodies "should bear part of the responsibility for the high casualties caused by this tragic fire". It found that the housing department "should bear a greater share of responsibility".

More than 30 hearings before a judge-led committee were held since March during the inquiry into the blaze.

The committee heard that almost all fire safety measures failed that day because of "human errors".

In July the committee's leading counsel Victor Dawes told a hearing that the disaster "was preventable but not prevented, and foreseeable but not foreseen".

The apartment complex was a home to more than 4,600 people, 1,700 of them over the age of 65.

Of those who died, 114 were aged 65 or older.

Authorities have filed charges, including manslaughter, against seven individuals and two companies and arrested at least 35 people.

Mr Lee said a steering committee had been established to oversee changes, which will include laws to criminalise bid-rigging across the construction industry, with fines of up to HK$10 million and 10 years' imprisonment.