Hong Kong Chief Executive Directs Probe into Tragic Inferno that Took 151

The city's chief executive, John Lee, has ordered the creation of an autonomous task force to probe the origins of a catastrophic blaze that killed at least 151 individuals.

A Blaze of Unprecedented Scale

This past Wednesday, the majority of the tower blocks at the estate—which was subject to significant upgrades—went up in flames. Authorities later discovered that protective netting surrounding the buildings failed to meet flame retardant standards.

At least 13 individuals have been taken into custody over suspected manslaughter, comprising the executives of a contractor.

"Yes, it is a tragedy, it is a big fire. Reform is necessary. Yes, we have identified failures in various phases. That is exactly why we must take decisive action to make certain all these deficiencies are eliminated," he said.

Investigation and Aftermath

The inferno—which spread quickly both upwards and between the blocks—was only fully doused by Friday morning, approximately two days after it began, and required over 2,000 fire service personnel to subdue.

The same day, authorities started accessing the buildings to gather evidence. Authorities say the investigation could require approximately a month.

Systemic Failures Identified

Several residents have said they failed to hear a fire alarm when the incident started. Local firefighters determined that detection devices in every tower were not working effectively.

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

Calls for Inquiry and Arrests

In a related development, police reportedly detained a young man on charges related to incitement on the weekend. He was part of a collective petitioning for an independent inquiry into the fire. An online petition gathered over 10,000 endorsements in under 24 hours before its page was taken down.

Two other people, comprising a ex-local representative, were also questioned by authorities, as reported by news outlets.

Global Response

The rights group and Another watchdog have both criticised the alleged detentions.

"Now is the time for the city's officials to thoroughly and publicly probe the causes of the devastating fire...as opposed to silencing those who pose valid inquiries," Amnesty International said.

Background and Resident Profile

The housing estate was built in the early 1980s and had supplied 1,984 apartments for some 4,600 residents, based on a recent official survey.

Nearly 40% of its residents are believed to be at least 65 years old. Several have resided in the public housing complex since its construction.

The city's second-deadliest fire on record claimed 176 people 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 people perished.