Hong Kong authorities on Wednesday charged seven people and two companies with offenses including manslaughter and conspiracy over a deadly apartment fire that killed 168 people last November.

The massive blaze engulfed seven apartment buildings at Wang Fuk Court in the suburban Tai Po district on November 26, 2025, marking the deadliest fire Hong Kong had experienced in 70 years. The residential complex housed thousands of people in what was described as a close-knit community.

Police and the Independent Commission Against Corruption filed 25 counts against the suspects, including charges of money laundering, attempting to pervert the course of public justice, and tax evasion. The seven individuals charged played various roles in a major renovation project at Wang Fuk Court, while the two companies facing charges are the project consultancy firm and the main contractor involved in the work.

The cases were scheduled to be heard in court Wednesday afternoon. In March, police had arrested 38 people on accusations related to the complex, with nine ultimately charged. The anti-corruption agency separately arrested 23 people on suspicion of offenses including bribery and conspiracy to defraud.

According to a lawyer representing an independent committee investigating the fire's cause, nearly all fire safety systems failed on the day of the blaze due to human error. Former residents and relatives of the victims have been awaiting answers for months following the tragedy that devastated the community.