Hong Kong charges seven people and two firms over deadly fire that killed 168

Hong Kong filed manslaughter charges on Wednesday against several people and companies in connection with the world's deadliest residential building fire in decades, which killed 168 people at a public housing estate last November. The massive blaze engulfed seven of eight high-rise apartment blocks at the Wang Fuk Court estate, prompting a months-long investigation into its cause.

Public hearings revealed that almost all life-saving fire safety measures failed on the day of the blaze due to human errors. According to charge sheets seen by AFP, directors of the construction contractor and consultant firm involved in Wang Fuk Court's renovation at the time of the fire, as well as an inspector, were charged with manslaughter along with their companies. Seven individuals in total also face charges of money laundering and tax evasion.

The defendants appeared in court on Wednesday and told the judge they "understood" the charges. The court heard that those accused of manslaughter "unlawfully" killed 168 people from the residential buildings, including a firefighter. The cases were adjourned until September.

A Hong Kong police representative said the force had arrested 35 people in connection with the fire, working with the anti-graft watchdog ICAC. "We suspect that this unfortunate incident was caused by individuals acting in their own self-interest...with complete disregard for the safety of residents' lives and property," ICAC principal investigator Hazel Law told reporters.

Substandard construction safety netting and cigarette butts were focal points of the probe into the causes and rapid spread of the fire, the deadliest residential building fire globally since 1980. Fire alarm systems for seven of eight blocks had been deactivated, which "greatly shortened the time for residents to evacuate," leading counsel Victor Dawes told an independent committee. Required fire-retardant nets were not used in many places, and windows were covered by foam boards, potentially contributing to the spread of fire into flats. The Fire Investigation Task Force maintained that an ignited cigarette caused combustible material to catch fire.

Thousands of residents lost their homes in the blaze and were relocated to temporary housing.