Hong Kong housing secretary Winnie Ho resigns over deadly Tai Po fire

Hong Kong Housing Secretary Winnie Ho resigned with immediate effect on 29 October over the Tai Po fire that killed 168 people. Chief Executive John Lee announced her departure as the government prepared to release a judge-led inquiry report into the blaze at the Wang Fuk Court residential complex.

Ho is the first official to resign over the fire, Reuters reported. Lee apologised for the deaths and said four government bodies bore partial responsibility. He promised extensive changes to Hong Kong’s building industry and regulatory system, but the inquiry’s conclusions had not yet been released when he spoke.

What happened at Wang Fuk Court

The scale of the disaster has put the renovation work and its supervision at the centre of the government’s response. The South China Morning Post reported that the judge-led committee’s report was expected to address the roles of the main renovation contractor, a project consultant and an inspector. Those anticipated findings should not be treated as the committee’s final conclusions before the report is released.

What Lee’s announcement means for accountability

Lee’s statement that four government bodies bore partial responsibility marks a government acknowledgment of institutional failings, alongside Ho’s resignation. The South China Morning Post identified the Housing Bureau’s Independent Checking Unit, the Fire Services Department, the Buildings Department and the Labour Department as the bodies expected to face criticism in the report. The extent of each body’s responsibility remained subject to the report’s release.

The government received the committee’s report the previous week, Reuters reported. It was expected to decide which individuals and officials, if any, should be held accountable and to outline disciplinary steps and a reform plan. Those decisions would determine whether Ho’s departure is followed by further action against people or institutions involved in overseeing the renovation.

The South China Morning Post also reported that the government was expected to propose criminal penalties for bid-rigging and changes to the supervision of engineering and renovation contractors. Lee had pledged reforms, but the proposed measures and their implementation awaited the government’s announcement.