Hong Kong Leader Orders Probe into Fatal Inferno that Killed 151

Hong Kong's chief executive, John Lee, has directed the formation of an separate inquiry panel to probe the origins of a catastrophic blaze that took a minimum of 151 individuals.

A Fire of Historic Proportions

On Wednesday last week, the majority of the residential blocks at the Wang Fuk Court—that was in the midst of major refurbishment—were consumed by a blaze. Investigators have since found that construction site netting surrounding the buildings did not comply with requirements for fire resistance.

A minimum of 13 suspects have been arrested for alleged culpable homicide, including the directors of a building firm.

"Yes, it is a tragedy, it is a major blaze. Reform is necessary. Failures have been detected in multiple areas. Hence we must respond rigorously to guarantee all these deficiencies are plucked," stated the leader.

The Probe and Its Consequences

The blaze—which spread quickly both upwards and from building to building—was finally put out by the morning of Friday, around 40 hours after it started, and took over 2,000 firefighters to subdue.

The same day, police began entering the buildings to collect forensic material. Officials state the inquiry could require approximately a month.

Systemic Failures Identified

Multiple inhabitants have reported they failed to hear a fire alarm when the blaze started. The city's fire department determined that warning systems in each building were operating inadequately.

The relevant regulatory body has temporarily suspended renovation projects on 30 private projects.

Calls for Inquiry and Arrests

In a related development, police reportedly detained a individual on allegations of sedition on the weekend. He was part of a group petitioning for an independent inquiry into the fire. An online petition gathered more than 10,000 supporters in a very short time before its page was taken down.

Two other people, among them a former district councillor, were also taken in by authorities, as reported by local media reports.

International Reaction

Amnesty International and Another watchdog have both condemned the said apprehensions.

"This is the occasion for the Hong Kong authorities to thoroughly and publicly probe the causes of the catastrophic blaze...instead of muzzling those who pose valid inquiries," remarked the group.

Background and Resident Profile

The housing estate was constructed in 1983 and had offered close to 2,000 units for around 4,600 occupants, according to a population count.

Approximately 40 percent of its occupants are estimated to be older than 65 years old. Several have been occupants of the government-supported development from its inception.

Hong Kong's second-deadliest fire on file took 176 people in 1948 and was caused by a ground-floor explosion at a five-storey warehouse. The worst was at Happy Valley Racecourse in the early 1900s, when in excess of 600 people perished.