Hong Kong leader and seven officials bow in apology over Tai Po fire

Hong Kong Chief Executive John Lee and seven other officials bowed in apology on Thursday at the release of a report on last year's Tai Po residential fire, The Guardian reports. The fire killed 168 people. The report pointed to "decades of failure" by government bodies, according to The Guardian.

Housing Secretary Winnie Ho is stepping down. France 24 reports she resigned on Wednesday after her department was found to have failed to supervise maintenance work on the building. NBC News reports the investigation blamed corruption and regulatory failures.

The Guardian says the apology did not satisfy some victims' families. It reports that some former residents and relatives say they still need justice. The Guardian calls the blaze the deadliest housing fire globally since 1980. NBC News and The Guardian both describe the apology as rare.

The New York Times reports that Lee strongly defended the government even as he announced Ho's departure.

France 24 reports the fire struck a tower block in November 2025. It says 79 people were injured and thousands were displaced. It also reports that a three-month investigation into conduct will follow. Proposals include making bid rigging a crime, in connection with the building's US $38 million renovation contract.