🔗 Share this article The city's Chief Executive Directs Investigation into Fatal Inferno that Took 151 The city's chief executive, John Lee, has directed the formation of an autonomous task force to probe the origins of a tragic inferno that killed at least 151 people. Footage shows speed of blaze propagation in Hong Kong tower block. A Blaze of Unprecedented Scale This past Wednesday, the majority of the residential blocks at the Wang Fuk Court—which had been undergoing extensive renovations—were engulfed by fire. Investigators have since found that protective netting installed on the buildings fell short of requirements for fire resistance. At least 13 suspects have been arrested for potential negligent homicide, including the directors of a construction company. "Yes, it is a tragedy, the fire was immense. Changes are required. Yes, we have identified failures in multiple areas. This is precisely the reason we must act seriously to guarantee all these loopholes are eliminated," remarked Mr. Lee. Investigation and Aftermath The fire—that propagated rapidly both vertically and across the separate towers—was only fully doused by the morning of Friday, around 40 hours after it started, and necessitated in excess of 2,000 firefighters to subdue. That very day, police began entering the buildings to collect forensic material. Authorities say the inquiry could require several weeks. This blaze is the worst the region has seen in more than 70 years. Shortcomings Uncovered A number of occupants have reported they failed to hear a fire alarm when the blaze broke out. Local firefighters determined that detection devices in all eight blocks were operating inadequately. Hong Kong's buildings department has temporarily suspended works on 30 private projects. Calls for Inquiry and Arrests Separately, authorities are said to have arrested a young man on allegations of subversion on the weekend. He was involved with a group demanding an independent inquiry into the tragedy. An digital signature drive gathered in excess of 10,000 endorsements in a very short time before its contents were wiped. A pair of additional persons, among them a past council member, were also detained by police, according to local media reports. The city's leader John Lee said that the inquiry would be chaired by a judicial officer. Global Response The rights group and Human Rights Watch have both condemned the said apprehensions. "Now is the time for the local government to openly examine the origins of the catastrophic blaze...instead of muzzling those who pose valid inquiries," Amnesty International said. Background and Resident Profile The housing estate was constructed in 1983 and had offered close to 2,000 units for around 4,600 residents, based on a 2021 government census. Almost four in ten of its occupants are estimated to be older than 65 years old. Several have lived in the government-supported development since it was built. Hong Kong's second-deadliest fire on file killed 176 individuals in 1948 and was triggered by a detonation at street level at a five-storey warehouse. The most deadly was at a local racetrack in the early 1900s, when over 600 attendees lost their lives.