The city's Leader Orders Probe into Deadly Fire that Killed 151
Hong Kong's leader, John Lee, has mandated the establishment of an autonomous task force to probe the origins of a catastrophic blaze that claimed the lives of 151 individuals.
A Fire of Historic Proportions
This past Wednesday, seven of eight apartment buildings at the Wang Fuk Court—which was subject to extensive renovations—went up in flames. Investigators have since found that construction site netting surrounding the buildings fell short of requirements for fire resistance.
A minimum of 13 suspects have been taken into custody over potential negligent homicide, among them the executives of a construction company.
"This is indeed a tragedy, it is a major blaze. Yes, we need reform. We have uncovered shortcomings in various phases. This is precisely the reason we must act seriously to guarantee all these gaps are addressed," he said.
Investigation and Aftermath
The inferno—that propagated rapidly both vertically and across the separate towers—was not completely extinguished by Friday morning, around 40 hours after it ignited, and took more than 2,000 fire service personnel to contain.
On that day, officers commenced entry into the buildings to gather evidence. Officials state the investigation could require several weeks.
Shortcomings Uncovered
Multiple inhabitants have stated they were not alerted by a emergency siren when the fire started. The city's fire department found that warning systems in all eight blocks were not working effectively.
Hong Kong's buildings department has halted for now renovation projects on three dozen private developments.
Demands for Probe and Detentions
In a related development, authorities are said to have arrested a 24-year-old man on allegations of sedition on Saturday. He was among a collective petitioning for an separate review into the blaze. An digital signature drive gathered more than 10,000 signatures in a very short time before its information was removed.
A pair of additional persons, including a former district councillor, were also questioned by authorities, according to news outlets.
International Reaction
The human rights organization and The monitoring body have both denounced the alleged detentions.
"Now is the time for the local government to transparently investigate the causes of the devastating fire...rather than suppressing those who ask legitimate questions," Amnesty International said.
Background and Resident Profile
The residential complex was completed in the early 1980s and had provided 1,984 apartments for approximately 4,600 occupants, per a population count.
Approximately 40 percent of its occupants are estimated to be at least 65 years of age. Some have resided in the government-supported development since it was built.
Hong Kong's second-most fatal incident on file killed 176 people in 1948 and was caused by 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 lost their lives.
