Hong Kong Chief Executive Directs Probe into Fatal Inferno that Took 151
Hong Kong's chief executive, John Lee, has directed the formation of an independent committee to probe the origins of a catastrophic blaze that killed at least 151 people.
A Blaze of Unprecedented Scale
Last Wednesday, seven of eight apartment buildings at the estate—which had been undergoing extensive renovations—were consumed by a blaze. Authorities later discovered that safety scaffolding mesh used around the buildings failed to meet fire safety regulations.
No fewer than 13 people have been taken into custody over potential negligent homicide, including the senior figures of a contractor.
"It is a terrible tragedy, it is a big fire. Reform is necessary. Failures have been detected in various phases. Hence we must respond rigorously to ensure that all these loopholes are eliminated," remarked Mr. Lee.
Investigation and Aftermath
The fire—that propagated rapidly both vertically and across the separate towers—was only fully doused by the morning of Friday, approximately two days after it ignited, and necessitated more than 2,000 fire service personnel to subdue.
The same day, authorities started accessing the buildings to gather evidence. Officials state the inquiry could last three to four weeks.
Shortcomings Uncovered
Several residents have said they did not hear a emergency siren when the incident broke out. The city's fire department determined that alarms in all eight blocks were not working effectively.
Hong Kong's buildings department has temporarily suspended works on three dozen private developments.
Demands for Probe and Detentions
Separately, officers took into custody a 24-year-old man on charges related to subversion on the weekend. He was among a group calling for an separate review into the blaze. An digital signature drive gathered more than 10,000 endorsements in under 24 hours before its contents were wiped.
Another two individuals, among them a ex-local representative, were also questioned by officers, according to press accounts.
Global Response
The rights group and The monitoring body have both condemned the alleged detentions.
"Now is the time for the local government to thoroughly and publicly probe the origins of the devastating fire...instead of muzzling those who ask legitimate questions," remarked the group.
Background and Resident Profile
The housing estate was completed in the early 1980s and had provided close to 2,000 units for some 4,600 inhabitants, per a population count.
Approximately 40 percent of its inhabitants are believed to be older than 65 years of age. Some have resided in the government-supported development since it was built.
Hong Kong's second-deadliest fire on record took 176 individuals in the mid-20th century and was the result of a ground-floor explosion at a multi-story storage facility. The most deadly was at a local racetrack in the early 1900s, when in excess of 600 attendees perished.
