Hong Kong Leader Apologises for Deadly Tai Po Fire, Pledges Reforms Hong Kong leader John Lee has apologised for the deadly blaze that killed 168 people in the city last November. The fire, which occurred at the Wang Fuk Court residential complex in the northern Tai Po district, was the deadliest in Hong Kong since 1948. Lee has promised swift but extensive reforms to the city's building industry and regulatory system. The blaze ripped through seven 31-storey tower blocks that were undergoing renovation work, displacing thousands of residents whose homes became uninhabitable. An independent report by a judge-led panel has detailed governance and supervisory failings, including widespread bid rigging. The report found that no government department took effective ownership of fire safety issues and complaints about fire hazards fell into a vacuum. Lee has announced the resignation of Hong Kong's Housing Secretary Winnie Ho, who was the first official to resign over the inferno. The government is expected to decide which individuals and officials should be held accountable, as well as outlining disciplinary actions and a reform plan. The report is expected to be released in full shortly, detailing the regulatory and supervisory failings in Hong Kong's building-renovation system.