HONG KONG — Recovery efforts at the site of the recent devastating disaster in Wang Fuk Court have reached a critical milestone, with authorities confirming the completion of searches across five residential blocks, even as the focus intensifies on identifying victims and addressing allegations of widespread regulatory misconduct. On December 1, 2025, officials provided updates on the grim recovery process, the identification of human remains, and a burgeoning anti-corruption investigation into the use of substandard building materials.
The initial phase of recovery is largely complete, concluding the challenging searches spanning the affected housing estate. Chief Superintendent Tsang Shuk-yin, head of the Police Casualty Enquiry Unit, reported that eight bodies were recovered from Wang Cheong House, five of which were newly discovered amid the wreckage. Tragically, some remains were found reduced to ash. Conversely, no human remains were located at Wang Sun House.
The extensive effort by the Disaster Victim Identification Unit (DVI) has been crucial in cataloging the remains. To aid grieving families, authorities have compiled photo catalogues of all recovered human and partial remains. As of the briefing, 104 victims have been successfully identified, but 39 positive identifications remain pending.
The police casualty hotline processed four reports concerning missing laborers, including scaffolding, construction, and renovation staff. Subsequent investigations confirmed two of these workers are deceased, one is hospitalized with injuries, and one individual remains unaccounted for. Police officials publicly expressed profound empathy for the victims’ families, pledging to conclude all searches and evidence collection swiftly, estimating completion within three weeks to allow for final farewells.
Investigation Reveals Alleged Substandard Materials
Simultaneously, a wide-ranging investigation into the cause of the disaster has resulted in 14 arrests to date, highlighting serious allegations of regulatory non-compliance linked to the rapid conflagration.
ICAC Commissioner Woo Ying‑ming confirmed that 12 arrests were made by their agency, with additional arrests made by the police. Investigators allege that following typhoon damage in July, parties involved procured 2,300 rolls of scaffolding netting from a local supplier at HK$54 per roll to replace damaged material. Crucially, this material allegedly failed to meet mandated fire-retardant standards—enough to cover all eight blocks of the estate.
Following a separate fire incident related to scaffolding in Central in late October, the responsible parties allegedly feared imminent safety inspections. To circumvent scrutiny, they purportedly purchased an additional 115 rolls (approximately 3,700 square meters) of fully compliant netting from the same vendor, paying a higher rate of HK$100 per roll. This compliant material was allegedly installed only at the base of the scaffolding to give the impression of full regulatory adherence during inspections, effectively concealing the broader use of substandard mesh.
Security Secretary Chris Tang provided critical forensic evidence, noting that investigators retrieved 20 samples of netting from various locations across the damaged buildings, including easily accessible areas, middle sections, and difficult-to-reach upper levels. Seven of these samples failed fire-retardant testing.
Mr. Tang revealed a critical pattern: samples retrieved from easily accessible locations generally passed safety checks, whereas netting in harder-to-reach areas was significantly more likely to fail. Investigators currently believe that the combination of these substandard, non-retardant materials with foam panels used at the site was instrumental in the fire’s rapid spread, with the shattering foam boards forcing flames into residential units throughout the complex. The joint police and ICAC investigation suspects that non-compliant protective mesh was knowingly mixed with approved netting to cut costs and evade safety protocols, contributing substantially to the tragic loss of life.