Hong Kong Leader Orders Probe into Tragic Fire that Took 151
The city's chief executive, John Lee, has ordered the creation of an separate inquiry panel to investigate the cause of a catastrophic blaze that killed at least 151 individuals.
A Blaze of Unprecedented Scale
On Wednesday last week, the majority of the apartment buildings at the Wang Fuk Court—which had been undergoing extensive renovations—went up in flames. Investigators have since found that construction site netting installed on the buildings fell short of flame retardant standards.
At least 13 individuals have been taken into custody over suspected manslaughter, including the senior figures of a contractor.
"This is indeed a tragedy, the fire was immense. Changes are required. Failures have been detected in multiple areas. Hence we must take decisive action to guarantee all these deficiencies are eliminated," he said.
The Probe and Its Consequences
The blaze—advancing with speed both upwards and across the separate towers—was only fully doused by the end of the week, some 40 hours after it started, and required more than 2,000 firefighters to subdue.
That very day, authorities started accessing the buildings to secure proof. Officials state the inquiry could take approximately a month.
Systemic Failures Identified
Multiple inhabitants have stated they failed to hear a emergency siren when the incident broke out. Hong Kong's fire service found that alarms in all eight blocks were not working effectively.
The city's construction authority has temporarily suspended works on numerous private sites.
Demands for Probe and Detentions
Separately, police reportedly detained a young man on suspicion of sedition on the weekend. He was among a collective demanding an independent inquiry into the tragedy. An internet-based appeal gathered in excess of 10,000 signatures in a very short time before its information was removed.
A pair of additional persons, comprising a former district councillor, were also detained by authorities, per press accounts.
Global Response
Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch have both condemned the reported arrests.
"The moment has come for the city's officials to openly examine the reasons of the tragic incident...rather than muzzling those who pose valid inquiries," Amnesty International said.
Background and Resident Profile
Wang Fuk Court was constructed in 1983 and had offered close to 2,000 units for some 4,600 inhabitants, per a population count.
Almost four in ten of its occupants are thought to be over 65 years old. Some have been occupants of the government-supported development from its inception.
The city's second-most fatal incident on in history killed 176 people in the mid-20th century and was caused by a ground-floor explosion at a five-storey warehouse. The worst was at a local racetrack in 1918, when in excess of 600 individuals lost their lives.