Hong Kong Fire Inquiry Reveals Potential Corruption and Safety Lapses

A public inquiry into the deadly November 2025 fire at Wang Fuk Court in Tai Po, Hong Kong, has uncovered evidence suggesting potential corruption, bid-rigging, and systemic safety failures. The blaze, which resulted in at least 128 fatalities, is prompting scrutiny of the tender process, inspection procedures, and the conduct of key contractors and consultants involved in the estate’s renovation project.

Tender Process Under Scrutiny

Senior Counsel Victor Dawes, leading the independent committee probing the fire, stated the inquiry will examine potential latent risks of corruption in the bidding process. Evidence presented focuses on the appointment of Prestige Construction & Engineering Company as the maintenance contractor and Will Power Architects as the consultant overseeing the large-scale maintenance project.

Dawes presented tender documents showing that Will Power was chosen after offering consultancy fees and inspection costs significantly lower than market rates – HK$308,000 and HK$220,000 respectively. This practice raises concerns about potential bid-rigging, where a consultant intentionally underbids to favor an affiliated contractor.

Concealed Safety Records

The inquiry revealed that Will Power allegedly concealed Prestige Construction’s extensive history of safety violations from tender documents. Wong Hap-yin, a director at Will Power, reportedly instructed a project manager, Hung Sai-kit, to remove Prestige’s litigation records from a tender analysis report.

The altered report falsely claimed Prestige had not faced prosecution in the preceding eight years, despite 24 convictions between 2017 and 2023 for occupational safety regulation breaches. Dawes described this omission as “alarming,” and noted that the Buildings Department did not verify the report’s accuracy.

Unauthorized Proxy Voting and Inaction

Residents reported suspected unauthorized proxy votes and illegal tendering practices to the Home Affairs Department (HAD) in February 2024. The HAD advised residents to address the concerns with the owners’ corporation board. Concerns were likewise raised regarding the removal of Prestige’s litigation records from tender documents.

When the board refused to hold a meeting to overturn the HK$330 million construction contract, the HAD declined to intervene, stating it would only act as a “last resort.” The department limited its response to advisory letters to the owners’ corporation chairperson, according to Dawes.

“Rubber Stamp” Inspector

Wilson Ng, a director at Will Power, was accused of failing to fulfill his duties as a registered inspector (RI) and instead acting as a “rubber stamp” for the consultancy. An RI is responsible for overseeing inspections under the Mandatory Building Inspection Scheme, which Wang Fuk Court was subject to.

Ng received a monthly incentive of HK$15,000, totaling HK$190,000, for his role as a registered inspector. Dawes cited text messages indicating Ng was only informed of issues when a signature was required, raising questions about whether he adequately fulfilled his responsibilities. The inquiry will consider whether the inspector carried out their duties properly, with Dawes questioning, “If the RI is a rubber stamp, who is responsible for such works?”

Recent Suspensions Following the Fire

In the aftermath of the Wang Fuk Court fire, the Buildings Department suspended 30 construction projects in November 2025, most managed by Prestige Construction & Engineering Company Limited. Hong Kong Free Press reported the suspension was due to a “lack of confidence in its ability to ensure site safety.” The department also halted two other building maintenance projects after finding windows covered by plastic sheeting at Fortress Garden in North Point and the China Travel Building in Central.

Prestige Construction had previously faced safety violations, including fines for improperly installed scaffolding and faulty electrical connections between 2016 and 2019, according to Labour Department records. RNZ reported that residents were wrongly told by Will Power Architects that Prestige had a clean safety record.

The Independent Commission Against Corruption has established a task force to investigate potential corruption related to the Tai Po project, following police arrests of key figures linked to the works. South China Morning Post reported that Prestige Construction was convicted of two safety offences in a Mid-Levels project in November 2023.