The city's Leader Directs Investigation into Tragic Inferno that Took 151
Hong Kong's chief executive, John Lee, has ordered the creation of an autonomous task force to probe the origins of a tragic inferno that killed at least 151 people.
A Fire of Historic Proportions
On Wednesday last week, 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 did not comply with fire safety regulations.
At least 13 suspects have been arrested for suspected manslaughter, comprising the executives of a contractor.
"It is a terrible tragedy, it is a major blaze. Changes are required. Yes, we have identified failures in different stages. Hence we must take decisive action to ensure that all these deficiencies are addressed," he said.
Investigation and Aftermath
The inferno—that propagated rapidly both upwards and across the separate towers—was finally put out by the morning of Friday, around 40 hours after it ignited, and required more than 2,000 firefighters to subdue.
That very day, police began entering the buildings to gather evidence. Authorities say the investigation could last approximately a month.
Shortcomings Uncovered
Several residents have stated they were not alerted by a smoke detector when the fire broke out. Hong Kong's fire service discovered that detection devices in all eight blocks were operating inadequately.
The city's construction authority has put on hold renovation projects on numerous private sites.
Calls for Inquiry and Arrests
Additionally, authorities are said to have arrested a 24-year-old man on suspicion of subversion on the weekend. He was involved with a collective petitioning for an independent inquiry into the blaze. An digital signature drive collected in excess of 10,000 supporters in less than a day before its contents were wiped.
A pair of additional persons, including a past council member, were also questioned by authorities, according to news outlets.
International Reaction
The human rights organization and Another watchdog have both criticised the reported arrests.
"Now is the time for the city's officials to thoroughly and publicly probe the reasons of the tragic incident...instead of silencing those who ask legitimate questions," remarked the group.
Background and Resident Profile
The residential complex was completed in 1983 and had offered 1,984 apartments for some 4,600 occupants, based on a 2021 government census.
Almost four in ten of its inhabitants are believed to be older than 65 years of age. Some have been occupants of the government-supported development from its inception.
Hong Kong's second-deadliest fire on record killed 176 lives in 1948 and was caused by a blast on the lower level at a multi-story storage facility. The deadliest was at a sporting venue in 1918, when over 600 attendees perished.
