The city's Chief Executive Directs Investigation into Deadly Inferno that Took 151

Hong Kong's leader, John Lee, has mandated the establishment of an independent committee to investigate the cause of a catastrophic blaze that took a minimum of 151 people.

A Blaze of Unprecedented Scale

This past Wednesday, seven of eight apartment buildings at the Wang Fuk Court—which was subject to major refurbishment—were engulfed by fire. A probe subsequently revealed that construction site netting surrounding the buildings fell short of flame retardant standards.

At least 13 people have been taken into custody over potential negligent homicide, among them the executives of a contractor.

"It is a terrible tragedy, it is a major blaze. Yes, we need reform. We have uncovered shortcomings in various phases. This is precisely the reason we must act seriously to ensure that all these deficiencies are eliminated," he said.

Investigation and Aftermath

The fire—advancing with speed both upwards and between the blocks—was only fully doused by the morning of Friday, around 40 hours after it began, and required over 2,000 fire service personnel to contain.

The same day, authorities started accessing the buildings to collect forensic material. The government indicates the inquiry could last approximately a month.

Systemic Failures Identified

A number of occupants have said they did not hear a fire alarm when the incident erupted. Local firefighters determined that detection devices in all eight blocks were not working effectively.

The city's construction authority has put on hold construction activities on 30 private projects.

Demands for Probe and Detentions

In a related development, police reportedly detained a 24-year-old man on allegations of incitement on the weekend. He was involved with a gathering calling for an separate review into the blaze. An online petition amassed in excess of 10,000 supporters in less than a day before its information was removed.

A pair of additional persons, comprising a past council member, were also detained by police, as reported by news outlets.

International Reaction

The rights group and Another watchdog have both denounced the reported arrests.

"This is the occasion for the city's officials to openly examine the reasons of the tragic incident...instead of suppressing those who ask legitimate questions," Amnesty International said.

Background and Resident Profile

The residential complex was completed in the early 1980s and had offered close to 2,000 units for around 4,600 inhabitants, according to a recent official survey.

Almost four in ten of its residents are estimated to be at least 65 years old. Some have resided in the subsidised housing estate since it was built.

Hong Kong's second-most fatal incident on file took 176 people in 1948 and was caused by a detonation at street level at a commercial building. The worst was at a sporting venue in 1918, when over 600 people perished.