HK Actor Accused Of Using Hong Kong Fire Tragedy To Sell Insurance & "Profiting Off The Dead"
Actor William Lam, who also works in insurance and wealth management, has issued an apology.
It's been two days since the devastating Hong Kong Tai Po fire broke out (Nov 26), and the world continues to mourn the victims of the devastating high-rise blaze as the city grapples with the scale of the tragedy.
At press time, the inferno that engulfed seven of the eight public housing towers of the Wang Fuk Court estate has claimed at least 94 lives, including that of one firefighter, making it the deadliest fire in Hong Kong since 1948. Rescuers are searching the towers for hundreds still missing.
Many Hong Kong celebrities, including Jesseca Hsuan, Elanne Kong and Louisa Mak, have since expressed support for victims of the fire.
Hong Kong actor William Lam, however, found himself dragged through the mud, no thanks to a social media post he made about the tragedy.
After the fire broke out, William, who also works in insurance and wealth management, took to his WeChat to share about the "fragility of life" and the importance of risk management.
He argued that "insurance is not about selling a product", but about providing support and cherishing every ordinary day and moment we can still hold onto.
"Financial planning is not just about numbers, they symbolise love and responsibility for [your] future," he urged in his post.
What William was not expecting, though, was for his post to receive a massive backlash from netizens.
Many criticised him for his lack of empathy and for using the disaster to promote insurance, while others accused him of “profiting off the dead".
Meanwhile, TVB also issued a statement shortly after the blowback, asserting that William, who had a role in 2025 TVB drama Battle of Marriage, is not one of their artistes.
"The company has no affiliation with this individual, and his personal actions do not represent the company’s position," they wrote.
As a result of mounting public pressure, William later issued an apology on his social media, saying he was deeply shocked and saddened by the derogatory terms used to condemn him.
He argued that the message was meant for his "private social circle and was not a public advertisement".
"My initial intention in posting was out of concern for the incident and care for my friends, hoping everyone would increase their risk awareness," he posited.
"During this time, I did not sell any products nor engage in any commercial activities".
He also said that he fully understands how important it is to show respect and empathy in the face of disaster, and apologise if his "way of expressing [himself] caused misunderstanding or discomfort".
William added that he respects every firefighter's sacrifice as well as the feelings of all citizens, while extending his deepest condolences to the victims and their families. He also pledged to be more cautious with his words in the future.
