The city's Chief Executive Orders Probe into Tragic Fire that Claimed Lives of 151
Hong Kong's leader, John Lee, has mandated the establishment of an independent committee to examine the reasons of a devastating fire that killed at least 151 residents.
A Blaze of Unprecedented Scale
Last Wednesday, seven of eight residential blocks at the Wang Fuk Court—that was in the midst of major refurbishment—were engulfed by fire. A probe subsequently revealed that protective netting used around the buildings fell short of flame retardant standards.
A minimum of 13 people have been taken into custody over suspected manslaughter, including the executives of a building firm.
"This is indeed a tragedy, it is a major blaze. Reform is necessary. Failures have been detected in different stages. Hence we must take decisive action to ensure that all these deficiencies are addressed," he said.
The Probe and Its Consequences
The blaze—that propagated rapidly both vertically and across the separate towers—was finally put out by the end of the week, some 40 hours after it began, and took over 2,000 firefighters to subdue.
The same day, police began entering the buildings to secure proof. The government indicates the inquiry could take several weeks.
Systemic Failures Identified
A number of occupants have stated they did not hear a smoke detector when the blaze started. Hong Kong's fire service determined that detection devices in each building were operating inadequately.
Hong Kong's buildings department has halted for now renovation projects on three dozen private developments.
Calls for Inquiry and Arrests
In a related development, authorities are said to have arrested a 24-year-old man on allegations of subversion on the weekend. He was part of a gathering petitioning for an autonomous investigation into the blaze. An online petition gathered more than 10,000 signatures in less than a day before its contents were wiped.
Another two individuals, including a former district councillor, were also taken in by authorities, according to news outlets.
International Reaction
The human rights organization and The monitoring body have both criticised the said apprehensions.
"The moment has come for the Hong Kong authorities to openly examine the reasons of the tragic incident...rather than silencing 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 some 4,600 residents, per a recent official survey.
Approximately 40 percent of its inhabitants are thought to be at least 65 years of age. A number have resided in the subsidised housing estate from its inception.
Hong Kong's second-deadliest fire on in history claimed 176 people in the mid-20th century and was triggered by a blast on the lower level at a commercial building. The worst was at a local racetrack in the early 1900s, when over 600 attendees perished.
