🔗 Share this article

The city's chief executive, John Lee, has ordered the creation of an independent committee to examine the reasons of a devastating fire that took a minimum of 151 people.

A Fire of Historic Proportions

On Wednesday last week, the majority of the tower blocks at the housing complex—which had been undergoing significant upgrades—were engulfed by fire. A probe subsequently revealed that protective netting installed on the buildings failed to meet fire safety regulations.

A minimum of 13 individuals have been detained on suspicion of potential negligent homicide, including the executives of a construction company.

"Yes, it is a tragedy, it is a major blaze. Changes are required. Yes, we have identified failures in different stages. That is exactly why we must act seriously to ensure that all these gaps are addressed," stated the leader.

The Probe and Its Consequences

The fire—which spread quickly both vertically and between the blocks—was finally put out by Friday morning, some 40 hours after it began, and required more than 2,000 emergency responders to contain.

On that day, authorities started accessing the buildings to gather evidence. Authorities say the investigation could require several weeks.

Systemic Failures Identified

Multiple inhabitants have reported they did not hear a fire alarm when the incident broke out. The city's fire department discovered that alarms in every tower were malfunctioning.

Hong Kong's buildings department has put on hold works on numerous private sites.

Demands for Probe and Detentions

Additionally, authorities are said to have arrested a individual on charges related to subversion on Saturday. He was among a collective demanding an independent inquiry into the fire. An online petition collected over 10,000 supporters in less than a day before its page was taken down.

Another two individuals, including a ex-local representative, were also detained by officers, per press accounts.

International Reaction

The rights group and Human Rights Watch have both criticised the alleged detentions.

"This is the occasion for the Hong Kong authorities to thoroughly and publicly probe the origins of the tragic incident...as opposed to silencing those who pose valid inquiries," remarked the group.

Background and Resident Profile

The residential complex was completed in 1983 and had offered close to 2,000 units for some 4,600 residents, according to a 2021 government census.

Approximately 40 percent of its inhabitants are estimated to be older than 65 years old. Some have been occupants of the subsidised housing estate since its construction.

The city's second-worst blaze on record took 176 lives in 1948 and was caused by a detonation at street level at a five-storey warehouse. The worst was at a local racetrack in 1918, when more than 600 individuals died.