🔗 Share this article The city's Chief Executive Orders Probe into Deadly Blaze that Took 151 Hong Kong's chief executive, John Lee, has mandated the establishment of an independent committee to investigate the cause of a tragic inferno that claimed the lives of 151 people. Video shows velocity of blaze propagation in Hong Kong residential tower. A Fire of Historic Proportions Last Wednesday, seven of eight apartment buildings at the Wang Fuk Court—that was in the midst of extensive renovations—went up in flames. Investigators have since found that protective netting installed on the buildings failed to meet fire safety regulations. No fewer than 13 people have been arrested for alleged culpable homicide, among them the directors of a contractor. "It is a terrible tragedy, it is a big fire. Changes are required. Failures have been detected in different stages. This is precisely the reason we must act seriously to guarantee all these loopholes are eliminated," remarked Mr. Lee. Investigation and Aftermath The inferno—that propagated rapidly both vertically and across the separate towers—was finally put out by the morning of Friday, approximately two days after it began, and required in excess of 2,000 firefighters to subdue. That very day, officers commenced entry into the buildings to secure proof. Officials state the probe could take approximately a month. The fire is the worst the city has experienced in over 70 decades. Shortcomings Uncovered Several residents have stated they did not hear a fire alarm when the incident erupted. The city's fire department found that warning systems in each building were not working effectively. The relevant regulatory body has temporarily suspended works on 30 private projects. Calls for Inquiry and Arrests In a related development, officers took into custody a individual on suspicion of sedition on Saturday. He was part of a group calling for an independent inquiry into the tragedy. An digital signature drive collected in excess of 10,000 supporters in under 24 hours before its page was taken down. Another two individuals, among them a ex-local representative, were also questioned by officers, according to press accounts. Chief executive John Lee stated that the inquiry would be chaired by a judge. International Reaction The rights group and Human Rights Watch have both condemned the alleged detentions. "The moment has come for the Hong Kong authorities to thoroughly and publicly probe the reasons of the devastating fire...rather than muzzling those who ask legitimate questions," stated the organization. Historical Context and Demographics The housing estate was constructed in the early 1980s and had offered nearly two thousand flats for some 4,600 residents, per a population count. Approximately 40 percent of its inhabitants are estimated to be at least 65 years of age. Some have resided in the subsidised housing estate since it was built. The city's second-deadliest fire on in history claimed 176 lives in the mid-20th century and was caused by a detonation at street level at a commercial building. The most deadly was at Happy Valley Racecourse in the early 1900s, when more than 600 attendees perished.