Hong Kong authorities have charged two companies and seven people with manslaughter, fraud, and tax evasion over the deadly fire at the Wang Fuk housing complex. This was reported by Qazaqyia.kz citing BBC News.
The blaze killed 168 people, making it the deadliest fire the city had seen in more than 70 years. The charges include 25 counts, including manslaughter, conspiracy to defraud, attempting to pervert the course of public justice, and tax evasion. Authorities said they had charged the project consultancy firm and the main contractor, as well as individuals involved in the renovation including the directors of both companies and the registered inspector at the consultancy. They have not named the companies and individuals charged.
Last year, shortly after the fire, Hong Kong's anti-graft watchdog arrested two directors of the development's structural engineering consultancy Will Power Architects. By March this year, police said they had arrested 38 people on allegations of manslaughter and fraud. The anti-graft watchdog also separately arrested 23 people, including consultants, contractors and members of the owners' corporation of the complex. Previous reports had named Prestige Construction and Engineering Company as the registered contractor for the renovations.