The city's Chief Executive Orders Probe into Fatal Blaze that Claimed Lives of 151
The city's leader, John Lee, has mandated the establishment of an separate inquiry panel to investigate the cause of a tragic inferno that killed at least 151 residents.
A Blaze of Unprecedented Scale
On Wednesday last week, the majority of the apartment buildings at the Wang Fuk Court—that was in the midst of extensive renovations—went up in flames. Authorities later discovered that protective netting installed on the buildings failed to meet requirements for fire resistance.
A minimum of 13 individuals have been arrested for alleged culpable homicide, including the executives of a construction company.
"It is a terrible tragedy, it is a big fire. Yes, we need reform. Yes, we have identified failures in multiple areas. Hence we must act seriously to ensure that all these loopholes are addressed," remarked Mr. Lee.
The Probe and Its Consequences
The fire—that propagated rapidly both upwards and between the blocks—was not completely extinguished by the morning of Friday, some 40 hours after it started, and necessitated in excess of 2,000 fire service personnel to subdue.
On that day, officers commenced entry into the buildings to gather evidence. Officials state the investigation could require approximately a month.
Shortcomings Uncovered
A number of occupants have said they were not alerted by a emergency siren when the fire broke out. Local firefighters discovered that warning systems in all eight blocks were malfunctioning.
Hong Kong's buildings department has halted for now construction activities on 30 private projects.
Calls for Inquiry and Arrests
Additionally, police reportedly detained a 24-year-old man on suspicion of incitement on Saturday. He was part of a group petitioning for an independent inquiry into the blaze. An online petition collected more than 10,000 endorsements in a very short time before its page was taken down.
A pair of additional persons, among them a former district councillor, were also detained by authorities, according to news outlets.
Global Response
The rights group and Another watchdog have both denounced the reported arrests.
"This is the occasion for the local government to openly examine the causes of the catastrophic blaze...rather than silencing those who raise appropriate concerns," Amnesty International said.
Background and Resident Profile
Wang Fuk Court was completed in 1983 and had offered 1,984 apartments for around 4,600 occupants, based on a population count.
Nearly 40% of its residents are thought to be at least 65 years old. Several have been occupants of the government-supported development since it was built.
The city's second-worst blaze on file took 176 individuals in the mid-20th century and was the result of a blast on the lower level at a multi-story storage facility. The worst was at Happy Valley Racecourse in the early 1900s, when more than 600 individuals lost their lives.
