Hong Kong Leader Directs Investigation into Tragic Inferno that Took 151
Hong Kong's leader, John Lee, has ordered the creation of an separate inquiry panel to examine the reasons of a devastating fire that took a minimum of 151 residents.
A Blaze of Unprecedented Scale
This past Wednesday, seven of eight residential blocks at the Wang Fuk Court—which had been undergoing significant upgrades—were consumed by a blaze. A probe subsequently revealed that construction site netting surrounding the buildings failed to meet flame retardant standards.
At least 13 individuals have been arrested for alleged culpable homicide, among them the directors of a construction company.
"Yes, it is a tragedy, it is a major blaze. Yes, we need reform. Yes, we have identified failures in different stages. This is precisely the reason we must act seriously to make certain all these gaps are plucked," remarked Mr. Lee.
Investigation and Aftermath
The fire—advancing with speed both vertically and from building to building—was only fully doused by the end of the week, some 40 hours after it started, and required more than 2,000 fire service personnel to bring under control.
The same day, police began entering the buildings to gather evidence. Officials state the investigation could require approximately a month.
Systemic Failures Identified
A number of occupants have said they failed to hear a smoke detector when the fire started. Hong Kong's fire service discovered that detection devices in each building were not working effectively.
The city's construction authority has put on hold works on 30 private projects.
Calls for Inquiry and Arrests
Separately, officers took into custody a 24-year-old man on charges related to subversion on Saturday. He was part of a collective petitioning for an independent inquiry into the tragedy. An online petition collected more than 10,000 endorsements in under 24 hours before its page was taken down.
Two other people, among them a ex-local representative, were also questioned by police, as reported by local media reports.
International Reaction
The rights group and The monitoring body have both condemned the reported arrests.
"The moment has come for the Hong Kong authorities to transparently investigate the causes of the tragic incident...instead of suppressing those who pose valid inquiries," remarked the group.
Historical Context and Demographics
The housing estate was constructed in 1983 and had provided 1,984 apartments for approximately 4,600 occupants, according to a population count.
Approximately 40 percent of its occupants are estimated to be older than 65 years of age. Some have been occupants of the government-supported development since its construction.
The city's second-most fatal incident on file killed 176 lives in the mid-20th century and was caused by a ground-floor explosion at a commercial building. The most deadly was at Happy Valley Racecourse in the early 1900s, when over 600 people died.
