🔗 Share this article

Hong Kong's chief executive, John Lee, has ordered the creation of an independent committee to probe the origins of a devastating fire that claimed the lives of 151 people.

A Fire of Historic Proportions

This past Wednesday, seven of eight tower blocks at the estate—which was subject to significant upgrades—went up in flames. A probe subsequently revealed that safety scaffolding mesh used around the buildings failed to meet flame retardant standards.

At least 13 individuals have been taken into custody over potential negligent homicide, including the directors of a building firm.

"It is a terrible tragedy, the fire was immense. Reform is necessary. Failures have been detected in different stages. This is precisely the reason we must act seriously to guarantee all these loopholes are plucked," remarked Mr. Lee.

Investigation and Aftermath

The inferno—which spread quickly both upwards and between the blocks—was only fully doused by Friday morning, around 40 hours after it ignited, and took over 2,000 firefighters to bring under control.

The same day, authorities started accessing the buildings to gather evidence. The government indicates the inquiry could take approximately a month.

Systemic Failures Identified

Several residents have said they did not hear a fire alarm when the fire erupted. Local firefighters discovered that alarms in each building were not working effectively.

The city's construction authority has put on hold construction activities on three dozen private developments.

Demands for Probe and Detentions

In a related development, officers took into custody a 24-year-old man on allegations of incitement on Saturday. He was part of a collective calling for an autonomous investigation into the tragedy. An online petition gathered over 10,000 endorsements in less than a day before its page was taken down.

Two other people, comprising a past council member, were also detained by officers, as reported by press accounts.

Global Response

The human rights organization and Human Rights Watch have both denounced the alleged detentions.

"This is the occasion for the Hong Kong authorities to thoroughly and publicly probe the origins of the devastating fire...as opposed to silencing those who ask legitimate questions," stated the organization.

Historical Context and Demographics

The housing estate was completed in 1983 and had supplied 1,984 apartments for around 4,600 inhabitants, according to a recent official survey.

Approximately 40 percent of its residents are thought to be over 65 years of age. A number have been occupants of the government-supported development since it was built.

Hong Kong's second-deadliest fire on in history claimed 176 individuals in 1948 and was the result of a ground-floor explosion at a commercial building. The deadliest was at a local racetrack in 1918, when in excess of 600 people lost their lives.