The city's Chief Executive Orders Probe into Deadly Fire that Claimed Lives of 151
Hong Kong's chief executive, John Lee, has mandated the establishment of an independent committee to investigate the cause of a catastrophic blaze that claimed the lives of 151 individuals.
A Blaze of Unprecedented Scale
On Wednesday last week, the majority of the apartment buildings at the Wang Fuk Court—which was subject to significant upgrades—were consumed by a blaze. Authorities later discovered that protective netting surrounding the buildings failed to meet flame retardant standards.
A minimum of 13 people have been detained on suspicion of suspected manslaughter, including the senior figures of a construction company.
"Yes, it is a tragedy, the fire was immense. Changes are required. Failures have been detected in various phases. Hence we must respond rigorously to guarantee all these gaps are eliminated," stated the leader.
The Probe and Its Consequences
The fire—advancing with speed both upwards and between the blocks—was only fully doused by the morning of Friday, approximately two days after it began, and necessitated more than 2,000 emergency responders to subdue.
The same day, authorities started accessing the buildings to gather evidence. Officials state the investigation could last approximately a month.
Systemic Failures Identified
Several residents have reported they failed to hear a smoke detector when the blaze started. The city's fire department found that detection devices in each building were malfunctioning.
The city's construction authority has put on hold works on numerous private sites.
Calls for Inquiry and Arrests
Additionally, officers took into custody a 24-year-old man on suspicion of subversion on Saturday. He was part of a group demanding an autonomous investigation into the fire. An digital signature drive gathered over 10,000 endorsements in under 24 hours before its information was removed.
Two other people, among them a ex-local representative, were also detained by officers, as reported by local media reports.
International Reaction
Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch have both denounced the said apprehensions.
"The moment has come for the local government to transparently investigate the origins of the devastating fire...as opposed to muzzling those who ask legitimate questions," stated the organization.
Historical Context and Demographics
The residential complex was completed in the early 1980s and had provided nearly two thousand flats for some 4,600 occupants, based on a population count.
Almost four in ten of its occupants are estimated to be over 65 years old. Several have lived in the subsidised housing estate since its construction.
The city's second-worst blaze on in history claimed 176 individuals in the mid-20th century and was the result of a ground-floor explosion at a five-storey warehouse. The worst was at Happy Valley Racecourse in the early 1900s, when in excess of 600 individuals lost their lives.
