The city's Chief Executive Directs Investigation into Tragic Fire that Claimed Lives of 151
The city's leader, John Lee, has directed the formation of an autonomous task force to examine the reasons of a tragic inferno that killed at least 151 individuals.
A Fire of Historic Proportions
Last Wednesday, most of the apartment buildings at the Wang Fuk Court—which was subject to extensive renovations—went up in flames. Investigators have since found that protective netting installed on the buildings failed to meet flame retardant standards.
No fewer than 13 suspects have been arrested for potential negligent homicide, among them the executives of a building firm.
"It is a terrible tragedy, the fire was immense. Yes, we need reform. Yes, we have identified failures in multiple areas. That is exactly why we must respond rigorously to ensure that all these loopholes are eliminated," remarked Mr. Lee.
The Probe and Its Consequences
The fire—advancing with speed both upwards and across the separate towers—was only fully doused by the end of the week, approximately two days after it ignited, and necessitated in excess of 2,000 fire service personnel to contain.
On that day, authorities started accessing the buildings to gather evidence. The government indicates the investigation could require three to four weeks.
Systemic Failures Identified
Multiple inhabitants have reported they were not alerted by a smoke detector when the incident started. The city's fire department found that warning systems in each building were malfunctioning.
The relevant regulatory body has put on hold construction activities on 30 private projects.
Demands for Probe and Detentions
In a related development, officers took into custody a young man on charges related to subversion on the weekend. He was among a collective petitioning for an autonomous investigation into the fire. An digital signature drive gathered more than 10,000 signatures in under 24 hours before its information was removed.
A pair of additional persons, among them a ex-local representative, were also questioned by officers, as reported by news outlets.
Global Response
The human rights organization and Human Rights Watch have both denounced the reported arrests.
"This is the occasion for the local government to transparently investigate the origins of the tragic incident...instead of silencing those who raise appropriate concerns," remarked the group.
Historical Context and Demographics
The residential complex was built in the early 1980s and had supplied 1,984 apartments for around 4,600 occupants, per a recent official survey.
Approximately 40 percent of its inhabitants are estimated to be over 65 years of age. Some have been occupants of the public housing complex since its construction.
Hong Kong's second-deadliest fire on in history took 176 people in 1948 and was caused by a detonation at street level at a five-storey warehouse. The worst was at a sporting venue in 1918, when in excess of 600 people died.
