Hong Kong Chief Executive Orders Probe into Fatal Blaze that Killed 151

Hong Kong's chief executive, John Lee, has mandated the establishment of an separate inquiry panel to examine the reasons of a devastating fire that claimed the lives of 151 individuals.

A Fire of Historic Proportions

This past Wednesday, seven of eight tower blocks at the estate—which had been undergoing significant upgrades—went up in flames. Authorities later discovered that construction site netting installed on the buildings did not comply with requirements for fire resistance.

A minimum of 13 individuals have been taken into custody over alleged culpable homicide, among them the directors of a building firm.

"It is a terrible tragedy, it is a major blaze. Yes, we need reform. Yes, we have identified failures in different stages. Hence we must act seriously to make certain all these loopholes are plucked," he said.

Investigation and Aftermath

The fire—advancing with speed both vertically and from building to building—was not completely extinguished by the morning of Friday, approximately two days after it began, and took in excess of 2,000 fire service personnel to subdue.

The same day, authorities started accessing the buildings to collect forensic material. Officials state the probe could require several weeks.

Shortcomings Uncovered

A number of occupants have stated they failed to hear a fire alarm when the fire broke out. Local firefighters found that detection devices in every tower were operating inadequately.

The city's construction authority has temporarily suspended works on three dozen private developments.

Demands for Probe and Detentions

In a related development, police reportedly detained a individual on allegations of incitement on the weekend. He was among a group petitioning for an separate review into the blaze. An online petition collected over 10,000 signatures in less than a day before its contents were wiped.

A pair of additional persons, including a former district councillor, were also detained by authorities, as reported by local media reports.

Global Response

The rights group and The monitoring body have both criticised the alleged detentions.

"This is the occasion for the local government to thoroughly and publicly probe the reasons of the catastrophic blaze...rather than suppressing those who raise appropriate concerns," stated the organization.

Historical Context and Demographics

The housing estate was constructed in the early 1980s and had provided close to 2,000 units for around 4,600 inhabitants, per a population count.

Approximately 40 percent of its inhabitants are estimated to be older than 65 years old. A number have lived in the subsidised housing estate from its inception.

The city's second-worst blaze on in history killed 176 lives in 1948 and was triggered by a blast on the lower level at a five-storey warehouse. The deadliest was at a local racetrack in 1918, when more than 600 people died.