John Lee, the Chinese-administered territory’s chief executive, promised on Tuesday to rein in vested interests and hold accountability for the fire, which tore through seven tower blocks in the Wang Fuc Court housing complex, where more than 4,600 people lived, in the city’s Tai Po district.
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“To avoid similar tragedies again, I will form a judge-led independent committee to investigate the cause and rapid spread of the fire and related issues,” Lee told reporters.
“We must uncover the truth, ensure that justice is served, the dead rest in peace and the living rest in peace,” he said.
Asked by a journalist why he should continue his job after such a disaster befell the city, Lee said there was a need for reform.
“Yes, we have identified failures at various stages. That is why we must act seriously to ensure that all these lapses are addressed so that those responsible are held accountable,” Lee said.
“The shortcomings will be addressed. The bottlenecks will be removed and we will reform the entire building renovation system to ensure that such things do not happen again,” he said.
The fire broke out last Wednesday afternoon around scaffolding that was installed at the housing complex for maintenance work on high-rise buildings.
Officials suspect that strong winds and substandard plastic mesh and insulation foam used during repairs caused the fire to spread rapidly, hampering firefighting efforts.
Lee said that those responsible for the renovation had mixed substandard protective netting with authorized netting “to deceive inspection”. Officials said fire alarms in the complex were also not functioning properly.
Residents told of ‘relatively low fire risk’
Investigators have completed the search and examination of all but two of the seven burned towers, where bodies of residents were found on staircases and rooftops, trapped while trying to flee the flames. About 30 people are still missing.
Hong Kong police have arrested 13 people on suspicion of murder in an expanding criminal investigation into the fire, while the anti-corruption body has arrested 12 people in an investigation into the tragedy.
The city’s labor department said residents of Vang Phuc Court were told by officials last year that they faced a “relatively low fire risk” after complaining about fire hazards posed by renovations, including the potential flammability of netting that contractors used to cover scaffolding.
Officials overseeing the investigation told a news conference on Monday that several samples of the green mesh that was wrapped around the bamboo scaffolding on the buildings at the time of the fire did not meet fire-retardant standards.
Eric Chan, chief secretary of the city administration, said contractors carrying out the renovation work had used substandard materials in inaccessible areas while hiding it from inspectors.
Amid widespread mourning in the city as well as demands for accountability, local media reported the arrest of several people who were making the calls.
Miles Kwan, a 24-year-old student, was arrested by police for “seditious intent” after allegedly handing out leaflets demanding a government review of construction oversight in the city. According to reports, Kwan was released on Monday. According to local media reports, two other people, including a former district councilor, were also taken into custody by the police.
Hong Kong student Miles Kwan, 24, part of a group that launched a petition demanding an independent investigation into possible corruption and a review of construction inspections over the deadly fire at the Wang Fuk Court housing complex, left a police station in a taxi on Monday. https://t.co/dcSK6GIbma pic.twitter.com/5E2qNKumDA
– Jessie Pang (@JessiePang0125) 1 December 2025
Asked about the arrest of people calling for action, Lee said he would not tolerate “any crimes, especially crimes that take advantage of the tragedy we are facing right now”.
Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch issued statements criticizing the alleged arrests and demanding accountability.
Amnesty International said, “It is time for Hong Kong authorities to transparently investigate the causes of the devastating fires… rather than silencing those asking legitimate questions.”
Elaine Pearson, Asia director at Human Rights Watch, said authorities in Hong Kong “should not treat those demanding answers for the tragic fire as criminals”.
China’s National Security Office issued a statement warning against those who would use the disaster to “push Hong Kong back into the chaos” of 2019 – when huge pro-democracy protests challenged Beijing and sparked a political crisis.
“We strongly warn anti-China disintegrators who attempt to ‘disrupt Hong Kong through disaster,'” the office said in a statement.
“No matter what method you adopt, you will definitely be held accountable and severely punished,” it said.
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