The city's Chief Executive Orders Investigation into Deadly Blaze that Killed 151
The city's leader, John Lee, has mandated the establishment of an separate inquiry panel to investigate the cause of a tragic inferno that took a minimum of 151 residents.
A Fire of Historic Proportions
On Wednesday last week, seven of eight residential blocks at the Wang Fuk Court—which had been undergoing major refurbishment—were consumed by a blaze. Authorities later discovered that protective netting used around the buildings fell short of fire safety regulations.
At least 13 suspects have been detained on suspicion of alleged culpable homicide, comprising the senior figures of a construction company.
"This is indeed a tragedy, the fire was immense. Yes, we need reform. Yes, we have identified failures in multiple areas. This is precisely the reason we must take decisive action to make certain all these gaps are plucked," stated the leader.
The Probe and Its Consequences
The inferno—advancing with speed both vertically and between the blocks—was not completely extinguished by Friday morning, some 40 hours after it started, and required over 2,000 firefighters to contain.
That very day, police began entering the buildings to gather evidence. The government indicates the probe could take several weeks.
Systemic Failures Identified
Multiple inhabitants have said they did not hear a emergency siren when the incident erupted. Local firefighters discovered that alarms in all eight blocks were malfunctioning.
The relevant regulatory body has halted for now renovation projects on numerous private sites.
Demands for Probe and Detentions
In a related development, officers took into custody a young man on suspicion of subversion on the weekend. He was among a gathering petitioning for an autonomous investigation into the blaze. An online petition collected more than 10,000 signatures in under 24 hours before its contents were wiped.
A pair of additional persons, comprising a ex-local representative, were also taken in by police, as reported by press accounts.
International Reaction
The rights group and Another watchdog have both condemned the reported arrests.
"The moment has come for the local government to transparently investigate the origins of the catastrophic blaze...as opposed to suppressing those who ask legitimate questions," Amnesty International said.
Background and Resident Profile
The housing estate was built in 1983 and had offered 1,984 apartments for approximately 4,600 residents, per a recent official survey.
Nearly 40% of its inhabitants are thought to be over 65 years of age. A number have lived in the government-supported development since its construction.
The city's second-deadliest fire on file killed 176 individuals in the mid-20th century and was the result of a blast on the lower level at a five-storey warehouse. The worst was at Happy Valley Racecourse in the early 1900s, when more than 600 attendees perished.
