🔗 Share this article

Hong Kong's chief executive, John Lee, has ordered the creation of an separate inquiry panel to investigate the cause of a tragic inferno that claimed the lives of 151 residents.

A Fire of Historic Proportions

On Wednesday last week, seven of eight tower blocks at the housing complex—which was subject to major refurbishment—went up in flames. Authorities later discovered that construction site netting surrounding the buildings did not comply with requirements for fire resistance.

No fewer than 13 people have been taken into custody over potential negligent homicide, including the senior figures of a contractor.

"This is indeed a tragedy, the fire was immense. Yes, we need reform. Failures have been detected in various phases. That is exactly why we must take decisive action to make certain all these deficiencies are addressed," remarked Mr. Lee.

The Probe and Its Consequences

The inferno—that propagated rapidly both vertically and from building to building—was finally put out by the end of the week, around 40 hours after it started, and necessitated more than 2,000 fire service personnel to contain.

The same day, authorities started accessing the buildings to gather evidence. Officials state the probe could take several weeks.

Systemic Failures Identified

Multiple inhabitants have reported they did not hear a smoke detector when the incident erupted. The city's fire department determined that alarms in each building were operating inadequately.

The city's construction authority has halted for now construction activities on numerous private sites.

Calls for Inquiry and Arrests

Separately, police reportedly detained a individual on charges related to sedition on the weekend. He was among a collective demanding an independent inquiry into the blaze. An internet-based appeal gathered more than 10,000 endorsements in under 24 hours before its contents were wiped.

Two other people, among them a former district councillor, were also questioned by police, per news outlets.

International Reaction

The rights group and The monitoring body have both criticised the alleged detentions.

"The moment has come for the local government to thoroughly and publicly probe the causes of the catastrophic blaze...rather than suppressing those who pose valid inquiries," stated the organization.

Historical Context and Demographics

The residential complex was completed in the early 1980s and had provided nearly two thousand flats for some 4,600 inhabitants, based on a recent official survey.

Nearly 40% of its inhabitants are thought to be over 65 years old. Several have lived in the public housing complex since its construction.

Hong Kong's second-most fatal incident on in history took 176 people in the mid-20th century and was the result of a detonation at street level at a five-storey warehouse. The worst was at Happy Valley Racecourse in 1918, when more than 600 attendees lost their lives.