The city's Leader Orders Probe into Tragic Blaze that Took 151
Hong Kong's leader, John Lee, has ordered the creation of an autonomous task force to investigate the cause of a tragic inferno that claimed the lives of 151 residents.
A Blaze of Unprecedented Scale
On Wednesday last week, seven of eight apartment buildings at the Wang Fuk Court—that was in the midst of major refurbishment—went up in flames. Investigators have since found that construction site netting installed on the buildings did not comply with fire safety regulations.
At least 13 suspects have been detained on suspicion of potential negligent homicide, including the senior figures of a building firm.
"It is a terrible tragedy, it is a major blaze. Yes, we need reform. Failures have been detected in different stages. Hence we must respond rigorously to make certain all these deficiencies are plucked," he said.
The Probe and Its Consequences
The blaze—that propagated rapidly both vertically and from building to building—was not completely extinguished by the end of the week, around 40 hours after it began, and took more than 2,000 fire service personnel to bring under control.
On that day, officers commenced entry into the buildings to collect forensic material. The government indicates the probe could require approximately a month.
Systemic Failures Identified
A number of occupants have stated they failed to hear a emergency siren when the fire broke out. The city's fire department discovered that alarms in all eight blocks were malfunctioning.
Hong Kong's buildings department has put on hold works on numerous private sites.
Calls for Inquiry and Arrests
Separately, authorities are said to have arrested a 24-year-old man on suspicion of subversion on Saturday. He was among a group calling for an independent inquiry into the fire. An internet-based appeal amassed in excess of 10,000 endorsements in less than a day before its information was removed.
A pair of additional persons, comprising a past council member, were also questioned by police, per local media reports.
International Reaction
The human rights organization and Another watchdog have both criticised the reported arrests.
"The moment has come for the local government to thoroughly and publicly probe the origins of the devastating fire...rather than silencing those who pose valid inquiries," remarked the group.
Background and Resident Profile
The residential complex was constructed in 1983 and had offered nearly two thousand flats for around 4,600 inhabitants, per a recent official survey.
Approximately 40 percent of its occupants are believed to be at least 65 years of age. A number have resided in the public housing complex from its inception.
The city's second-most fatal incident on file took 176 lives in 1948 and was the result of a blast on the lower level at a commercial building. The most deadly was at a sporting venue in the early 1900s, when over 600 people perished.
