The city's Chief Executive Orders Investigation into Deadly Inferno that Claimed Lives of 151
The city's chief executive, John Lee, has mandated the establishment of an independent committee to investigate the cause of a devastating fire that took a minimum of 151 people.
A Blaze of Unprecedented Scale
Last Wednesday, the majority of the tower blocks at the Wang Fuk Court—which had been undergoing extensive renovations—were consumed by a blaze. A probe subsequently revealed that safety scaffolding mesh surrounding the buildings fell short of requirements for fire resistance.
A minimum of 13 people have been taken into custody over alleged culpable homicide, comprising the senior figures of a contractor.
"Yes, it is a tragedy, it is a major blaze. Yes, we need reform. Failures have been detected in multiple areas. This is precisely the reason we must respond rigorously to make certain all these deficiencies are addressed," remarked Mr. Lee.
The Probe and Its Consequences
The fire—that propagated rapidly both vertically and across the separate towers—was not completely extinguished by Friday morning, around 40 hours after it ignited, and took more than 2,000 fire service personnel to bring under control.
The same day, authorities started accessing the buildings to collect forensic material. Officials state the investigation could require approximately a month.
Shortcomings Uncovered
A number of occupants have said they failed to hear a smoke detector when the blaze started. The city's fire department determined that warning systems in every tower were not working effectively.
Hong Kong's buildings department has halted for now works on numerous private sites.
Calls for Inquiry and Arrests
Separately, police reportedly detained a 24-year-old man on allegations of sedition on the weekend. He was involved with a collective calling for an autonomous investigation into the blaze. An online petition gathered over 10,000 signatures in under 24 hours before its information was removed.
Another two individuals, comprising a ex-local representative, were also taken in by officers, according to news outlets.
Global Response
The rights group and Human Rights Watch have both denounced the alleged detentions.
"Now is the time for the local government to thoroughly and publicly probe the origins of the tragic incident...rather than suppressing those who raise appropriate concerns," remarked the group.
Background and Resident Profile
The residential complex was built in the early 1980s and had offered 1,984 apartments for around 4,600 residents, per a population count.
Nearly 40% of its residents are estimated to be at least 65 years old. A number have resided in the government-supported development since it was built.
Hong Kong's second-worst blaze on in history killed 176 individuals in 1948 and was caused by a ground-floor explosion at a commercial building. The most deadly was at Happy Valley Racecourse in 1918, when in excess of 600 people died.
