Hong Kong Chief Executive Orders Investigation into Tragic Fire that Took 151
Hong Kong's chief executive, 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 Fire of Historic Proportions
On Wednesday last week, most of the tower blocks at the estate—that was in the midst of major refurbishment—went up in flames. Investigators have since found that safety scaffolding mesh used around the buildings fell short of flame retardant standards.
A minimum of 13 individuals have been detained on suspicion of alleged culpable homicide, comprising the directors of a contractor.
"Yes, it is a tragedy, it is a big fire. Yes, we need reform. We have uncovered shortcomings in different stages. This is precisely the reason we must act seriously to guarantee all these gaps are addressed," remarked Mr. Lee.
The Probe and Its Consequences
The blaze—advancing with speed both vertically and between the blocks—was only fully doused by the end of the week, approximately two days after it started, and necessitated in excess of 2,000 emergency responders to subdue.
The same day, authorities started accessing the buildings to secure proof. The government indicates the probe could last approximately a month.
Systemic Failures Identified
Multiple inhabitants have said they were not alerted by a emergency siren when the blaze broke out. Local firefighters discovered that alarms in each building were malfunctioning.
Hong Kong's buildings department has put on hold works on 30 private projects.
Calls for Inquiry and Arrests
In a related development, police reportedly detained a 24-year-old man on charges related to subversion on Saturday. He was part of a group petitioning for an independent inquiry into the fire. An online petition gathered more than 10,000 signatures in a very short time before its information was removed.
A pair of additional persons, among them a past council member, were also detained by officers, according to local media reports.
International Reaction
The rights group and Another watchdog have both denounced the said apprehensions.
"The moment has come for the city's officials to transparently investigate the reasons of the catastrophic blaze...as opposed to muzzling those who ask legitimate questions," Amnesty International said.
Background and Resident Profile
Wang Fuk Court was constructed in the early 1980s and had offered close to 2,000 units for around 4,600 residents, based on a 2021 government census.
Nearly 40% of its residents are believed to be over 65 years old. Some have resided in the public housing complex since it was built.
The city's second-worst blaze on file took 176 individuals in the mid-20th century and was triggered by a ground-floor explosion at a five-storey warehouse. The most deadly was at a local racetrack in the early 1900s, when more than 600 attendees lost their lives.
