🔗 Share this article

The city's leader, John Lee, has directed the formation of an autonomous task force to examine the reasons of a devastating fire that killed at least 151 residents.

A Blaze of Unprecedented Scale

Last Wednesday, the majority of the apartment buildings at the Wang Fuk Court—that was in the midst of major refurbishment—went up in flames. Authorities later discovered that safety scaffolding mesh installed on the buildings did not comply with flame retardant standards.

At least 13 people have been taken into custody over alleged culpable homicide, including the executives of a building firm.

"It is a terrible tragedy, it is a major blaze. Changes are required. We have uncovered shortcomings in various phases. This is precisely the reason we must take decisive action to make certain all these gaps are eliminated," he said.

The Probe and Its Consequences

The blaze—that propagated rapidly both upwards and from building to building—was finally put out by Friday morning, around 40 hours after it ignited, and required more than 2,000 emergency responders to contain.

On that day, police began entering the buildings to collect forensic material. Officials state the probe could last several weeks.

Systemic Failures Identified

A number of occupants have said they did not hear a emergency siren when the incident broke out. Local firefighters discovered that detection devices in each building were not working effectively.

The relevant regulatory body has halted for now construction activities on numerous private sites.

Demands for Probe and Detentions

In a related development, officers took into custody a individual on allegations of subversion on the weekend. He was among a gathering calling for an separate review into the tragedy. An online petition amassed more than 10,000 endorsements in less than a day before its page was taken down.

Two other people, comprising a ex-local representative, were also detained by police, per local media reports.

Global Response

The rights group and Human Rights Watch have both denounced the said apprehensions.

"The moment has come for the Hong Kong authorities to openly examine the origins of the devastating fire...instead of silencing those who raise appropriate concerns," stated the organization.

Historical Context and Demographics

The residential complex was constructed in 1983 and had provided nearly two thousand flats for around 4,600 occupants, according to a 2021 government census.

Almost four in ten of its inhabitants are thought to be at least 65 years of age. Several have been occupants of the public housing complex from its inception.

The city's second-worst blaze on file took 176 lives in the mid-20th century and was triggered by a blast on the lower level at a commercial building. The worst was at a sporting venue in the early 1900s, when over 600 individuals died.