The city's Leader Directs Probe into Deadly Inferno that Took 151
Hong Kong's leader, John Lee, has directed the formation of an separate inquiry panel to investigate the cause of a tragic inferno that took a minimum of 151 people.
A Blaze of Unprecedented Scale
Last Wednesday, most of the apartment buildings at the Wang Fuk Court—that was in the midst of significant upgrades—were engulfed by fire. Investigators have since found that construction site netting surrounding the buildings fell short of flame retardant standards.
At least 13 suspects have been taken into custody over potential negligent homicide, among them the executives of a construction company.
"It is a terrible tragedy, it is a major blaze. Changes are required. Failures have been detected in various phases. This is precisely the reason we must act seriously to ensure that all these deficiencies are plucked," remarked Mr. Lee.
The Probe and Its Consequences
The fire—that propagated rapidly both upwards and between the blocks—was finally put out by the morning of Friday, some 40 hours after it started, and required over 2,000 firefighters to subdue.
The same day, police began entering the buildings to collect forensic material. The government indicates the inquiry could require approximately a month.
Systemic Failures Identified
Several residents have said they were not alerted by a fire alarm when the fire started. Hong Kong's fire service discovered that alarms in all eight blocks were malfunctioning.
Hong Kong's buildings department has temporarily suspended renovation projects on three dozen private developments.
Demands for Probe and Detentions
Additionally, police reportedly detained a young man on suspicion of sedition on the weekend. He was among a gathering calling for an autonomous investigation into the blaze. An digital signature drive gathered over 10,000 supporters in a very short time before its page was taken down.
A pair of additional persons, among them a ex-local representative, were also detained by authorities, per news outlets.
Global Response
The rights group and Human Rights Watch have both denounced the alleged detentions.
"The moment has come for the local government to openly examine the reasons of the tragic incident...instead of muzzling those who raise appropriate concerns," remarked the group.
Background and Resident Profile
The residential complex was constructed in the early 1980s and had supplied close to 2,000 units for around 4,600 inhabitants, per a recent official survey.
Approximately 40 percent of its inhabitants are believed to be at least 65 years old. Several have been occupants of the subsidised housing estate since it was built.
The city's second-deadliest fire on file killed 176 individuals in 1948 and was triggered by a ground-floor explosion at a five-storey warehouse. The worst was at Happy Valley Racecourse in 1918, when in excess of 600 individuals lost their lives.
