Hong Kong has released the full report on Tai Po fire tragedy. Here’s all you need to know

We have put together 10 stories from our coverage on the full report of the Wang Fuk Court fire, released almost a year since the tragedy claimed 168 lives. If you would like to see more of our reporting, please consider subscribing.

1. John Lee apologises for Tai Po fire, unveils reforms as housing chief resigns

Hong Kong’s leader has apologised for last year’s deadly Tai Po fire, vowing extensive civil service and legislative reforms and an overhaul of government departments as his housing chief Winnie Ho Wing-yin resigned to offer political accountability.

2. ‘Why did it take 11 months?’: apology too late for some Tai Po fire survivors

Hong Kong officials’ apology over the deadly Tai Po blaze nearly a year ago came too late, residents of the fire-ravaged estate have said, as they urged authorities to learn from the disaster and pursue long-term reforms.

3. Lit cigarette, combustibles and ‘human fault’ led to deadly Hong Kong fire: report

A combination of a lit cigarette and an “abundant fuel” of combustible materials caused Hong Kong’s deadliest fire in decades, according to a long-awaited report which found the blaze would not have killed so many people, or happened at all, without “human fault”.

4. Housing chief resigns, government admits ‘decades of failure’ led to Tai Po fire – as it happened

The report, released 11 months after the Wang Fuk Court fire in Tai Po claimed 168 lives, assigned blame to the main contractor for renovations at the housing estate, the project consultant and an inspector for their alleged roles in the tragedy. It also singled out four government departments for accountability.

5. Lee to stay on, says housing minister’s resignation his ‘political decision’

Hong Kong’s leader has said the housing minister’s resignation was his “comprehensive political decision” in establishing accountability for the city’s deadliest fire in decades, with a three-member team to also investigate up to 50 civil servants.

6. Chain of failures: 5 key takeaways from report on Tai Po blaze

Here are the key takeaways from the report by a judge-led independent committee and a government press conference on the findings.

7. Hong Kong to replace disgraced housing unit over deadly Tai Po fire

Hong Kong’s disgraced Independent Checking Unit (ICU) will be disbanded as part of reforms in the wake of the city’s deadliest fire in decades, after a judge-led inquiry identified it as the government arm with the greatest responsibility for the Wang Fuk Court inferno.

8. Departments ‘passed the ball’ on safety complaints, leaving residents helpless

No government department took effective ownership of fire safety risks ahead of the deadly Tai Po fire in Hong Kong, allowing complaints made by residents to fall into a vacuum, according to an independent committee.

9. Hong Kong ministers defend decision not to resign over deadly Tai Po fire

Ministers have defended their decision not to step down over the deadly Tai Po fire, insisting they are putting Hong Kong’s well-being ahead of personal considerations.

10. Security chief vows his task force will root out bid-rigging in Hong Kong

Hong Kong’s security chief has expressed confidence that a new joint task force led by him will eradicate the decades-long problem of bid-rigging, while denying that the reforms came too late after the deadly Tai Po fire.