Hong Kong Leader Orders Investigation into Fatal Blaze that Took 151
The city's chief executive, John Lee, has mandated the establishment of an separate inquiry panel to probe the origins of a tragic inferno that claimed the lives of 151 residents.
A Fire of Historic Proportions
On Wednesday last week, most of the apartment buildings at the housing complex—which was subject to significant upgrades—were engulfed by fire. A probe subsequently revealed that protective netting surrounding the buildings did not comply with fire safety regulations.
At least 13 suspects have been detained on suspicion of alleged culpable homicide, among them the senior figures of a contractor.
"This is indeed a tragedy, it is a major blaze. Reform is necessary. We have uncovered shortcomings in multiple areas. Hence we must take decisive action to guarantee all these loopholes are eliminated," remarked Mr. Lee.
The Probe and Its Consequences
The fire—advancing with speed both vertically and between the blocks—was only fully doused by the morning of Friday, some 40 hours after it ignited, and required more than 2,000 emergency responders to subdue.
That very day, authorities started accessing the buildings to secure proof. Authorities say the probe could require approximately a month.
Systemic Failures Identified
Multiple inhabitants have reported they did not hear a fire alarm when the blaze started. Local firefighters determined that detection devices in all eight blocks were not working effectively.
Hong Kong's buildings department has put on hold construction activities on numerous private sites.
Calls for Inquiry and Arrests
In a related development, officers took into custody a young man on suspicion of sedition on Saturday. He was involved with a collective petitioning for an independent inquiry into the fire. An online petition amassed over 10,000 signatures in less than a day before its information was removed.
Another two individuals, comprising a former district councillor, were also questioned by police, per news outlets.
International Reaction
Amnesty International and Another watchdog have both denounced the alleged detentions.
"Now is the time for the local government to openly examine the reasons of the tragic incident...instead of suppressing those who pose valid inquiries," stated the organization.
Background and Resident Profile
The residential complex was completed in 1983 and had provided close to 2,000 units for approximately 4,600 residents, based on a population count.
Approximately 40 percent of its inhabitants are estimated to be at least 65 years of age. Some have resided in the public housing complex since its construction.
Hong Kong's second-deadliest fire on file killed 176 lives in 1948 and was the result of a detonation at street level at a commercial building. The most deadly was at a local racetrack in 1918, when more than 600 individuals died.
