The city's Leader Orders Investigation into Fatal Inferno that Took 151
Hong Kong's leader, John Lee, has mandated the establishment of an independent committee to probe the origins of a devastating fire that claimed the lives of 151 people.
A Fire of Historic Proportions
On Wednesday last week, most of the apartment buildings at the estate—that was in the midst of major refurbishment—went up in flames. Investigators have since found that protective netting surrounding the buildings fell short of flame retardant standards.
A minimum of 13 individuals have been detained on suspicion of alleged culpable homicide, including the executives 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 deficiencies are plucked," he said.
The Probe and Its Consequences
The fire—advancing with speed both upwards and across the separate towers—was only fully doused by Friday morning, approximately two days after it ignited, and took more than 2,000 firefighters to bring under control.
The same day, police began entering the buildings to gather evidence. Officials state the investigation could last three to four weeks.
Shortcomings Uncovered
Several residents have stated they were not alerted by a emergency siren when the incident started. The city's fire department discovered that warning systems in each building were not working effectively.
Hong Kong's buildings department has put on hold construction activities on three dozen private developments.
Calls for Inquiry and Arrests
Additionally, police reportedly detained a individual on suspicion of subversion on the weekend. He was among a collective petitioning for an independent inquiry into the tragedy. An internet-based appeal amassed more than 10,000 endorsements in a very short time before its information was removed.
Another two individuals, among them a ex-local representative, were also detained by authorities, per news outlets.
International Reaction
The human rights organization and The monitoring body have both denounced the said apprehensions.
"This is the occasion for the local government to thoroughly and publicly probe the causes of the tragic incident...instead of suppressing those who ask legitimate questions," Amnesty International said.
Background and Resident Profile
The residential complex was built in the early 1980s and had supplied 1,984 apartments for around 4,600 residents, according to a 2021 government census.
Approximately 40 percent of its residents are thought to be at least 65 years of age. Several have been occupants of the public housing complex since it was built.
Hong Kong's second-most fatal incident on file claimed 176 people in the mid-20th century and was the result of a ground-floor explosion at a multi-story storage facility. The worst was at a local racetrack in the early 1900s, when over 600 attendees lost their lives.