Hong Kong Chief Executive Orders Investigation into Deadly Blaze that Took 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 Fire of Historic Proportions
On Wednesday last week, the majority of the residential blocks at the Wang Fuk Court—which had been undergoing extensive renovations—were consumed by a blaze. Authorities later discovered that protective netting installed on the buildings did not comply with flame retardant standards.
No fewer than 13 people have been taken into custody over potential negligent homicide, comprising the senior figures of a construction company.
"It is a terrible tragedy, it is a big fire. Yes, we need reform. Failures have been detected in various phases. This is precisely the reason we must act seriously to ensure that all these loopholes are addressed," remarked Mr. Lee.
The Probe and Its Consequences
The fire—which spread quickly both vertically and between the blocks—was not completely extinguished by Friday morning, some 40 hours after it ignited, and required over 2,000 emergency responders to subdue.
The same day, police began entering the buildings to gather evidence. Officials state the probe could take three to four weeks.
Systemic Failures Identified
Several residents have said they were not alerted by a emergency siren when the incident started. The city's fire department found that alarms in every tower were not working effectively.
Hong Kong's buildings department has put on hold renovation projects on numerous private sites.
Demands for Probe and Detentions
In a related development, officers took into custody a 24-year-old man on charges related to subversion on the weekend. He was involved with a gathering calling for an independent inquiry into the tragedy. An digital signature drive collected in excess of 10,000 endorsements in under 24 hours before its information was removed.
A pair of additional persons, including a past council member, were also detained by police, per news outlets.
International Reaction
Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch have both condemned the said apprehensions.
"Now is the time for the Hong Kong authorities to thoroughly and publicly probe the causes of the catastrophic blaze...instead of muzzling those who pose valid inquiries," remarked the group.
Background and Resident Profile
Wang Fuk Court was completed in 1983 and had provided 1,984 apartments for around 4,600 inhabitants, according to a 2021 government census.
Approximately 40 percent of its residents are estimated to be older than 65 years old. Some have lived in the government-supported development from its inception.
The city's second-most fatal incident on record claimed 176 people in 1948 and was the result of a detonation at street level at a multi-story storage facility. The deadliest was at Happy Valley Racecourse in the early 1900s, when in excess of 600 people perished.
