Key facts
- The ICAC received 1.5 times more corruption complaints about building renovations in the first four months of this year compared to last year.
- The increase in complaints follows heightened public concern after the deadly Tai Po fire at Wang Fuk Court.
- The ICAC has doubled its investigators to 100 to manage the surge in cases.
- Eight people, including consultants and subcontractors, were arrested in a corruption probe related to the Wang Fuk Court renovation.
- The fire at Wang Fuk Court, which occurred during renovation, resulted in significant casualties.
Hong Kong's Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) has reported a 1.5-fold increase in corruption complaints related to building renovations during the first four months of this year, a surge attributed to heightened public concern following the deadly Tai Po fire at Wang Fuk Court. In response, the ICAC has doubled its investigator numbers to 100 to manage the influx of cases.
The Tai Po fire, which occurred on November 26, 2025, at Wang Fuk Court, became Hong Kong's deadliest blaze in nearly eight decades, claiming at least 160 lives. The disaster brought to light a controversial renovation project initiated in 2016, raising serious questions about alleged corruption and bid-rigging within the building renovation industry, as well as concerns about safety oversight.
Residents of Wang Fuk Court had reportedly filed complaints with various authorities, including the ICAC, prior to the fire regarding the renovation project. The renovation, which involved extensive repairs and an estimated cost of HK$300 million for the most comprehensive plan, was overseen by committees of the owners' corporation, with Will Power Architects Company Limited serving as the consultancy firm and Prestige Construction & Engineering Company as the contractor.
In connection with the fire and the ongoing corruption probe, the ICAC arrested eight individuals, including engineering consultants, scaffolding subcontractors, and a middleman. Search warrants were executed at multiple premises, and relevant documents and bank records were seized.
Bernard Charnwut Chan, chairman of the operations review committee overseeing the ICAC, defended the agency's actions, stating that building management and renovations have consistently been areas of focus for the commission and that the ICAC was not slow to address the issue.