🔗 Share this article Hong Kong Chief Executive Directs Investigation into Tragic Blaze that Killed 151 Hong Kong's chief executive, John Lee, has mandated the establishment of an independent committee to investigate the cause of a catastrophic blaze that claimed the lives of 151 residents. Images shows speed of blaze propagation in Hong Kong high-rise. A Blaze of Unprecedented Scale Last Wednesday, the majority of the apartment buildings at the Wang Fuk Court—which had been undergoing extensive renovations—were consumed by a blaze. Authorities later discovered that construction site netting used around the buildings fell short of flame retardant standards. At least 13 suspects have been detained on suspicion of alleged culpable homicide, including the directors of a contractor. "This is indeed a tragedy, it is a big fire. Changes are required. Failures have been detected in multiple areas. This is precisely the reason we must take decisive action to ensure that all these loopholes are eliminated," stated the leader. Investigation and Aftermath The fire—that propagated rapidly both upwards and from building to building—was not completely extinguished by the morning of Friday, approximately two days after it began, and necessitated more than 2,000 fire service personnel to bring under control. That very day, authorities started accessing the buildings to secure proof. Officials state the probe could last approximately a month. This blaze is the worst the city has experienced in exceeding 70 years. Shortcomings Uncovered Several residents have reported they did not hear a emergency siren when the fire started. The city's fire department found that detection devices in all eight blocks were operating inadequately. Hong Kong's buildings department has put on hold renovation projects on 30 private projects. Demands for Probe and Detentions Separately, authorities are said to have arrested a young man on suspicion of incitement on Saturday. He was part of a gathering calling for an autonomous investigation into the blaze. An internet-based appeal amassed over 10,000 endorsements in a very short time before its contents were wiped. A pair of additional persons, including a past council member, were also questioned by officers, according to news outlets. Chief executive John Lee announced that the inquiry would be led by a member of the judiciary. International Reaction The human rights organization and The monitoring body have both criticised the said apprehensions. "This is the occasion for the local government to thoroughly and publicly probe the causes of the tragic incident...as opposed to muzzling those who pose valid inquiries," Amnesty International said. Background and Resident Profile Wang Fuk Court was constructed in the early 1980s and had supplied close to 2,000 units for approximately 4,600 residents, according to a 2021 government census. Approximately 40 percent of its residents are believed to be at least 65 years of age. Some have lived in the subsidised housing estate since its construction. The city's second-most fatal incident on record took 176 lives in the mid-20th century and was the result of a detonation at street level at a multi-story storage facility. The deadliest was at a local racetrack in the early 1900s, when over 600 attendees died.