The city's Chief Executive Directs Probe into Tragic Inferno that Claimed Lives of 151
The city's chief executive, John Lee, has ordered the creation of an independent committee to investigate the cause of a devastating fire that claimed the lives of 151 people.
A Fire of Historic Proportions
On Wednesday last week, most of the tower blocks at the Wang Fuk Court—which had been undergoing significant upgrades—were consumed by a blaze. A probe subsequently revealed that protective netting surrounding the buildings did not comply with requirements for fire resistance.
A minimum of 13 individuals have been arrested for alleged culpable homicide, among them the senior figures of a contractor.
"Yes, it is a tragedy, the fire was immense. Yes, we need reform. Failures have been detected in different stages. This is precisely the reason we must act seriously to guarantee all these loopholes are plucked," he said.
The Probe and Its Consequences
The inferno—advancing with speed both vertically and from building to building—was only fully doused by the end of the week, around 40 hours after it started, and required in excess of 2,000 emergency responders to subdue.
On that day, authorities started accessing the buildings to secure proof. Authorities say the probe could require approximately a month.
Shortcomings Uncovered
A number of occupants have reported they failed to hear a fire alarm when the incident started. Local firefighters determined that warning systems in all eight blocks were not working effectively.
Hong Kong's buildings department has temporarily suspended works on 30 private projects.
Calls for Inquiry and Arrests
Additionally, officers took into custody a 24-year-old man on charges related to subversion on Saturday. He was involved with a gathering demanding an separate review into the tragedy. An internet-based appeal collected over 10,000 endorsements in under 24 hours before its contents were wiped.
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 alleged detentions.
"This is the occasion for the Hong Kong authorities to openly examine the reasons of the catastrophic blaze...instead of silencing those who pose valid inquiries," remarked the group.
Background and Resident Profile
The housing estate was completed in 1983 and had offered close to 2,000 units for some 4,600 inhabitants, per a population count.
Approximately 40 percent of its inhabitants are believed to be over 65 years old. Several have resided in the subsidised housing estate since it was built.
The city's second-most fatal incident on record claimed 176 lives in 1948 and was caused by a detonation at street level at a commercial building. The worst was at a sporting venue in 1918, when over 600 people died.
