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168 Dead in Hong Kong Fire; Committee Blames Alarm Failures

4/13/2026

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Summary

Story summary

An independent committee investigating Hong Kong's deadliest fire at Wang Fuk Court in Tai Po reports 168 deaths.
On the 11th day of hearings, four senior firefighters will testify.
Earlier sessions focused on the deactivation of the estate's fire alarms, labeled an "elementary mistake" by an official.
The committee learned fire risk assessments had never been conducted at the estate, and officials cited limited manpower for inspections.

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Story summary

An independent committee investigating Hong Kong's deadliest fire at Wang Fuk Court in Tai Po reports 168 deaths.
On the 11th day of hearings, four senior firefighters will testify.
Earlier sessions focused on the deactivation of the estate's fire alarms, labeled an "elementary mistake" by an official.
The committee learned fire risk assessments had never been conducted at the estate, and officials cited limited manpower for inspections.