🔗 Share this article

The city's leader, John Lee, has ordered the creation of an separate inquiry panel to examine the reasons of a devastating fire that took a minimum of 151 residents.

A Blaze of Unprecedented Scale

This past Wednesday, seven of eight residential blocks at the Wang Fuk Court—which had been undergoing significant upgrades—were engulfed by fire. A probe subsequently revealed that safety scaffolding mesh surrounding the buildings did not comply with flame retardant standards.

No fewer than 13 individuals have been taken into custody over potential negligent homicide, among them the directors of a construction company.

"This is indeed a tragedy, it is a big fire. Reform is necessary. Failures have been detected in multiple areas. That is exactly why we must act seriously to ensure that all these loopholes are addressed," remarked Mr. Lee.

The Probe and Its Consequences

The fire—advancing with speed both vertically and between the blocks—was not completely extinguished by Friday morning, around 40 hours after it began, and required over 2,000 firefighters to contain.

That very day, police began entering the buildings to gather evidence. The government indicates the investigation could take several weeks.

Shortcomings Uncovered

Several residents have reported they failed to hear a smoke detector when the fire broke out. Local firefighters found that alarms in every tower were operating inadequately.

Hong Kong's buildings department has halted for now renovation projects on three dozen private developments.

Calls for Inquiry and Arrests

In a related development, authorities are said to have arrested a young man on allegations of incitement on the weekend. He was involved with a group demanding an independent inquiry into the fire. An digital signature drive amassed over 10,000 supporters in less than a day before its contents were wiped.

Two other people, among them a former district councillor, were also questioned by police, per press accounts.

Global Response

Amnesty International and The monitoring body have both condemned the reported arrests.

"The moment has come for the Hong Kong authorities to openly examine the origins of the devastating fire...rather than silencing those who raise appropriate concerns," Amnesty International said.

Historical Context and Demographics

Wang Fuk Court was completed in 1983 and had supplied close to 2,000 units for some 4,600 inhabitants, based on a population count.

Nearly 40% of its occupants are believed to be over 65 years old. Some have lived in the government-supported development from its inception.

Hong Kong's second-deadliest fire on record took 176 individuals in 1948 and was the result of a ground-floor explosion at a commercial building. The most deadly was at a local racetrack in the early 1900s, when in excess of 600 people died.