The city's Chief Executive Orders Investigation into Fatal Inferno that Took 151
Hong Kong's chief executive, John Lee, has mandated the establishment of an separate inquiry panel to probe the origins of a catastrophic blaze that took a minimum of 151 individuals.
A Blaze of Unprecedented Scale
This past Wednesday, the majority of the residential blocks at the estate—that was in the midst of significant upgrades—were consumed by a blaze. A probe subsequently revealed that protective netting surrounding the buildings fell short of requirements for fire resistance.
A minimum of 13 people have been detained on suspicion of potential negligent homicide, including the directors of a building firm.
"Yes, it is a tragedy, the fire was immense. Changes are required. Failures have been detected in different stages. This is precisely the reason we must act seriously to make certain all these deficiencies are eliminated," stated the leader.
Investigation and Aftermath
The fire—advancing with speed both upwards and between the blocks—was only fully doused by the end of the week, some 40 hours after it began, and necessitated more than 2,000 fire service personnel to subdue.
The same day, authorities started accessing the buildings to collect forensic material. The government indicates the probe could require three to four weeks.
Systemic Failures Identified
A number of occupants have said they were not alerted by a emergency siren when the blaze broke out. Local firefighters discovered that alarms in all eight blocks were operating inadequately.
The city's construction authority has halted for now works on 30 private projects.
Demands for Probe and Detentions
In a related development, officers took into custody a young man on charges related to incitement on the weekend. He was part of a gathering calling for an autonomous investigation into the blaze. An digital signature drive gathered more than 10,000 signatures in a very short time before its contents were wiped.
A pair of additional persons, comprising a ex-local representative, were also questioned by officers, as reported by press accounts.
International Reaction
The rights group and Human Rights Watch have both denounced the reported arrests.
"Now is the time for the city's officials to thoroughly and publicly probe the origins of the catastrophic blaze...rather than silencing those who raise appropriate concerns," remarked the group.
Historical Context and Demographics
The housing estate was completed in the early 1980s and had offered close to 2,000 units for around 4,600 occupants, according to a population count.
Nearly 40% of its inhabitants are believed to be older than 65 years old. Several have lived in the government-supported development since its construction.
Hong Kong's second-worst blaze on in history killed 176 people in 1948 and was triggered by a blast on the lower level at a multi-story storage facility. The most deadly was at Happy Valley Racecourse in the early 1900s, when more than 600 attendees perished.
