ICAC arrests two directors of consultancy firm in expanding Wang Fuk Court probe

The ICAC this morning arrested two senior figures from Will Power Architects Company Limited as part of an expanding investigation into alleged corruption linked to the deadly five-alarm fire at Wang Fuk Court in Tai Po, marking the latest round of detentions in a probe now spanning multiple enforcement agencies.

At around noon on Friday, officers escorted one of the arrested men to the firm’s office on the seventh floor of Fook Hong Industrial Building in Kowloon Bay, where investigators conducted a search and seized evidence. The arrests involve the company’s two responsible personnel, according to ICAC sources.

The corruption investigation was launched yesterday after the agency formed a dedicated task force to examine whether bribery or misconduct played a role in the estate’s major renovation works, which have come under intense scrutiny since the inferno erupted on Wednesday.

The blaze raged for more than 43 hours before firefighters largely extinguished it at 10.18 am today, though search-and-rescue operations continue inside the charred blocks.

Police earlier said the deadly fire was sparked by “serious negligence” by those responsible for the renovation works. On Thursday, three male directors from the building engineering contractor were arrested on suspicion of manslaughter.

Company registry records show that Will Power Architects Company Limited was established in 2006. Its board comprises two directors, Ng Yeuk and Wong Hap-yin, who also hold direct or indirect shareholdings in the firm.

Authorities have not ruled out further arrests as investigations into the cause of the fire — and the conduct of the companies involved — continue.