Hong Kong Chief Executive Directs Investigation into Tragic Fire that Took 151
Hong Kong's leader, John Lee, has directed the formation of an independent committee to examine the reasons of a tragic inferno that took a minimum of 151 residents.
A Fire of Historic Proportions
On Wednesday last week, most of the apartment buildings at the estate—which had been undergoing major refurbishment—were consumed by a blaze. A probe subsequently revealed that protective netting installed on the buildings did not comply with requirements for fire resistance.
No fewer than 13 individuals have been detained on suspicion of alleged culpable homicide, among them the directors of a contractor.
"Yes, it is a tragedy, the fire was immense. Reform is necessary. Failures have been detected in different stages. That is exactly why we must take decisive action to make certain all these deficiencies are eliminated," he said.
The Probe and Its Consequences
The blaze—that propagated rapidly both upwards and across the separate towers—was finally put out by the end of the week, around 40 hours after it began, and took over 2,000 emergency responders to bring under control.
That very day, police began entering the buildings to collect forensic material. Authorities say the inquiry could take several weeks.
Systemic Failures Identified
Several residents have said they did not hear a smoke detector when the blaze broke out. Hong Kong's fire service found that detection devices in each building were malfunctioning.
The relevant regulatory body has temporarily suspended construction activities on 30 private projects.
Calls for Inquiry and Arrests
Separately, officers took into custody a young man on allegations of subversion on the weekend. He was part of a group demanding an independent inquiry into the fire. An online petition amassed over 10,000 signatures in under 24 hours before its page was taken down.
A pair of additional persons, comprising a former district councillor, were also detained by authorities, according to local media reports.
International Reaction
The rights group and Human Rights Watch have both denounced the said apprehensions.
"Now is the time for the Hong Kong authorities to thoroughly and publicly probe the reasons of the devastating fire...instead of suppressing those who pose valid inquiries," Amnesty International said.
Historical Context and Demographics
Wang Fuk Court was constructed in the early 1980s and had provided 1,984 apartments for some 4,600 residents, based on a population count.
Nearly 40% of its occupants are thought to be at least 65 years of age. A number have been occupants of the public housing complex from its inception.
The city's second-worst blaze on file claimed 176 lives in the mid-20th century and was the result of a blast on the lower level at a commercial building. The worst was at a sporting venue in 1918, when more than 600 attendees lost their lives.
