The city's Chief Executive Directs Probe into Fatal Inferno that Claimed Lives of 151
The city's leader, John Lee, has ordered the creation of an separate inquiry panel to investigate the cause of a catastrophic blaze that claimed the lives of 151 individuals.
A Blaze of Unprecedented Scale
On Wednesday last week, the majority of the apartment buildings at the estate—which was subject to significant upgrades—went up in flames. Investigators have since found that construction site netting installed on the buildings fell short of requirements for fire resistance.
No fewer than 13 people have been arrested for suspected manslaughter, including the executives of a contractor.
"Yes, it is a tragedy, it is a big fire. Yes, we need reform. Failures have been detected in different stages. This is precisely the reason we must take decisive action to guarantee all these gaps are plucked," remarked Mr. Lee.
The Probe and Its Consequences
The blaze—that propagated rapidly both vertically and between the blocks—was finally put out by the morning of Friday, around 40 hours after it started, and necessitated more than 2,000 firefighters to contain.
That very day, officers commenced entry into the buildings to collect forensic material. Authorities say the investigation could require three to four weeks.
Shortcomings Uncovered
A number of occupants have said they failed to hear a smoke detector when the blaze erupted. Hong Kong's fire service discovered that detection devices in every tower were operating inadequately.
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 24-year-old man on allegations of sedition on Saturday. He was among a gathering calling for an separate review into the tragedy. An internet-based appeal gathered more than 10,000 endorsements in a very short time before its page was taken down.
Another two individuals, comprising a ex-local representative, were also detained by officers, as reported by press accounts.
Global Response
The rights group and The monitoring body have both denounced the alleged detentions.
"This is the occasion for the local government to thoroughly and publicly probe the reasons of the tragic incident...instead of silencing those who raise appropriate concerns," Amnesty International said.
Background and Resident Profile
The residential complex was built in 1983 and had provided nearly two thousand flats for around 4,600 inhabitants, per a population count.
Almost four in ten of its inhabitants are estimated to be older than 65 years old. A number have been occupants of the subsidised housing estate since it was built.
The city's second-deadliest fire on in history killed 176 people in 1948 and was caused by a blast on the lower level at a commercial building. The worst was at a sporting venue in the early 1900s, when over 600 attendees perished.
