Firms charged with manslaughter over deadly Hong Kong fire

Hong Kong authorities have charged two companies and seven people over the devastating fire at the Wang Fuk housing complex last November.

They were handed 25 charges including manslaughter, conspiracy to defraud, attempting to pervert the course of public justice, and tax evasion.

The blaze, which killed 168 people , was the deadliest fire the city had seen in more than 70 years.

Authorities said they had charged the project consultancy firm and the main contractor, as well as individuals involved in the renovation including the directors of both companies and the registered inspector at the consultancy.

Last year, shortly after the fire happened, Hong Kong's anti-graft watchdog had arrested two directors of the development's structural engineering consultancy Will Power Architects.

By March this year, police said they had arrested 38 people on allegations of manslaughter and fraud.

The anti-graft watchdog had also separately arrested 23 people, including consultants, contractors and members of the owners' corporation of the complex.

Previous reports had named Prestige Construction and Engineering Company as the registered contractor for the renovations.