The city's Leader Directs Probe into Deadly Blaze that Took 151
The city's chief executive, John Lee, has directed the formation of an autonomous task force to investigate the cause of a devastating fire that killed at least 151 individuals.
A Blaze of Unprecedented Scale
This past Wednesday, seven of eight apartment buildings at the Wang Fuk Court—which was subject to extensive renovations—went up in flames. A probe subsequently revealed that safety scaffolding mesh surrounding the buildings did not comply with fire safety regulations.
No fewer than 13 suspects have been detained on suspicion of suspected manslaughter, among them the senior figures of a contractor.
"It is a terrible tragedy, it is a major blaze. Changes are required. Yes, we have identified failures in various phases. Hence we must take decisive action to ensure that all these gaps are plucked," he said.
The Probe and Its Consequences
The fire—which spread quickly both upwards and from building to building—was not completely extinguished by the morning of Friday, around 40 hours after it started, and required over 2,000 fire service personnel to contain.
On that day, authorities started accessing the buildings to gather evidence. Officials state the probe could take several weeks.
Systemic Failures Identified
Multiple inhabitants have said they were not alerted by a emergency siren when the incident started. Hong Kong's fire service found that warning systems in all eight blocks were malfunctioning.
Hong Kong's buildings department has temporarily suspended renovation projects on numerous private sites.
Demands for Probe and Detentions
Separately, officers took into custody a 24-year-old man on charges related to sedition on the weekend. He was among a gathering calling for an autonomous investigation into the fire. An online petition amassed in excess of 10,000 endorsements in less than a day before its page was taken down.
A pair of additional persons, including a ex-local representative, were also questioned by authorities, as reported by local media reports.
Global Response
The rights group and Human Rights Watch have both denounced the reported arrests.
"The moment has come for the local government to openly examine the reasons of the devastating fire...as opposed to suppressing those who raise appropriate concerns," stated the organization.
Background and Resident Profile
The residential complex was built in 1983 and had provided 1,984 apartments for approximately 4,600 occupants, according to a population count.
Approximately 40 percent of its residents are believed to be at least 65 years old. Several have resided in the government-supported development since its construction.
The city's second-worst blaze on record took 176 individuals in 1948 and was caused by a ground-floor explosion at a five-storey warehouse. The worst was at a sporting venue in the early 1900s, when over 600 individuals died.
