Hong Kong Chief Executive Orders Investigation into Tragic Inferno that Took 151
The city's leader, John Lee, has mandated the establishment of an separate inquiry panel to probe the origins of a tragic inferno that killed at least 151 residents.
A Blaze of Unprecedented Scale
On Wednesday last week, the majority of the residential blocks at the Wang Fuk Court—which had been undergoing extensive renovations—went up in flames. Investigators have since found that construction site netting surrounding the buildings fell short of fire safety regulations.
A minimum of 13 people have been arrested for alleged culpable homicide, comprising the executives 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. Hence we must act seriously to ensure that all these loopholes are eliminated," stated the leader.
The Probe and Its Consequences
The inferno—that propagated rapidly both upwards and from building to building—was only fully doused by the morning of Friday, around 40 hours after it ignited, and necessitated over 2,000 emergency responders to bring under control.
That very day, police began entering the buildings to secure proof. Officials state the probe could last three to four weeks.
Systemic Failures Identified
A number of occupants have said they were not alerted by a fire alarm when the incident broke out. Local firefighters found that alarms in each building were malfunctioning.
Hong Kong's buildings department has put on hold works on three dozen private developments.
Demands for Probe and Detentions
Additionally, police reportedly detained a individual on allegations of incitement on Saturday. He was part of a group calling for an separate review into the tragedy. An digital signature drive collected over 10,000 supporters in a very short time before its information was removed.
A pair of additional persons, comprising a ex-local representative, were also detained by authorities, per news outlets.
Global Response
The rights group and Human Rights Watch have both criticised the said apprehensions.
"The moment has come for the local government to thoroughly and publicly probe the causes of the devastating fire...as opposed to silencing those who raise appropriate concerns," Amnesty International said.
Background and Resident Profile
Wang Fuk Court was completed in the early 1980s and had offered nearly two thousand flats for some 4,600 residents, per a recent official survey.
Almost four in ten of its residents are thought to be at least 65 years of age. Several have lived in the public housing complex from its inception.
The city's second-worst blaze on file claimed 176 people in 1948 and was triggered by a ground-floor explosion at a multi-story storage facility. The deadliest was at Happy Valley Racecourse in 1918, when over 600 individuals died.