The city's Chief Executive Orders Probe into Tragic Inferno that Killed 151
The city's leader, John Lee, has directed the formation of an independent committee to investigate the cause of a devastating fire that claimed the lives of 151 individuals.
A Blaze of Unprecedented Scale
Last Wednesday, seven of eight tower blocks at the Wang Fuk Court—that was in the midst of extensive renovations—were engulfed by fire. Investigators have since found that construction site netting surrounding the buildings fell short of fire safety regulations.
A minimum of 13 suspects have been arrested for potential negligent homicide, among them the senior figures of a construction company.
"This is indeed a tragedy, it is a big fire. Yes, we need reform. Failures have been detected in different stages. That is exactly why we must take decisive action to ensure that all these loopholes are addressed," he said.
The Probe and Its Consequences
The blaze—that propagated rapidly both upwards and across the separate towers—was only fully doused by the morning of Friday, some 40 hours after it ignited, and required in excess of 2,000 fire service personnel to subdue.
That very day, police began entering the buildings to secure proof. Officials state the probe could take several weeks.
Systemic Failures Identified
A number of occupants have reported they failed to hear a fire alarm when the incident broke out. Local firefighters determined that warning systems in each building were malfunctioning.
The relevant regulatory body has put on hold renovation projects on 30 private projects.
Calls for Inquiry and Arrests
Separately, authorities are said to have arrested a 24-year-old man on allegations of incitement on the weekend. He was involved with a group petitioning for an autonomous investigation into the fire. An online petition collected more than 10,000 endorsements in less than a day before its page was taken down.
Two other people, among them a former district councillor, were also questioned by authorities, according to news outlets.
International Reaction
Amnesty International and The monitoring body have both criticised the reported arrests.
"Now is the time for the Hong Kong authorities to thoroughly and publicly probe the reasons of the tragic incident...instead of suppressing those who raise appropriate concerns," remarked the group.
Historical Context and Demographics
Wang Fuk Court was constructed in 1983 and had supplied nearly two thousand flats for around 4,600 occupants, according to a recent official survey.
Approximately 40 percent of its residents are believed to be older than 65 years old. Some have been occupants of the subsidised housing estate from its inception.
Hong Kong's second-worst blaze on record took 176 people in 1948 and was triggered by a ground-floor explosion at a commercial building. The most deadly was at Happy Valley Racecourse in 1918, when more than 600 attendees perished.
