The city's Chief Executive Directs Probe into Deadly Inferno that Took 151
Hong Kong's leader, John Lee, has directed the formation of an separate inquiry panel to probe the origins of a devastating fire that took a minimum of 151 residents.
A Blaze of Unprecedented Scale
Last Wednesday, seven of eight apartment buildings at the Wang Fuk Court—which had been undergoing significant upgrades—were consumed by a blaze. Investigators have since found that safety scaffolding mesh installed on the buildings failed to meet fire safety regulations.
A minimum of 13 suspects have been taken into custody over alleged culpable homicide, among them the directors of a construction company.
"It is a terrible tragedy, it is a big fire. Changes are required. Yes, we have identified failures in various phases. That is exactly why we must act seriously to ensure that all these deficiencies are addressed," remarked Mr. Lee.
The Probe and Its Consequences
The inferno—that propagated rapidly both upwards and across the separate towers—was not completely extinguished by Friday morning, approximately two days after it began, and required over 2,000 emergency responders to bring under control.
On that day, officers commenced entry into the buildings to collect forensic material. Authorities say the inquiry could last approximately a month.
Shortcomings Uncovered
A number of occupants have stated they were not alerted by a smoke detector when the fire broke out. Hong Kong's fire service determined that alarms in each building were malfunctioning.
The relevant regulatory body has halted for now renovation projects on numerous private sites.
Demands for Probe and Detentions
Additionally, authorities are said to have arrested a young man on suspicion of incitement on Saturday. He was involved with a group calling for an independent inquiry into the tragedy. An online petition gathered more than 10,000 endorsements in under 24 hours before its contents were wiped.
Another two individuals, among them a past council member, were also questioned by officers, 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 transparently investigate the reasons of the catastrophic blaze...rather than suppressing those who raise appropriate concerns," remarked the group.
Background and Resident Profile
The housing estate was built in 1983 and had provided 1,984 apartments for around 4,600 occupants, per a recent official survey.
Nearly 40% of its occupants are thought to be at least 65 years of age. A number have been occupants of the public housing complex from its inception.
Hong Kong's second-deadliest fire on record claimed 176 people in the mid-20th century and was triggered by a ground-floor explosion at a multi-story storage facility. The most deadly was at a sporting venue in the early 1900s, when over 600 individuals died.
