🔗 Share this article Hong Kong Leader Directs Investigation into Tragic Inferno that Claimed Lives of 151 Hong Kong's chief executive, John Lee, has directed the formation of an separate inquiry panel to investigate the cause of a catastrophic blaze that claimed the lives of 151 people. Video depicts rapid pace of blaze propagation in Hong Kong high-rise. A Fire of Historic Proportions On Wednesday last week, seven of eight residential blocks at the housing complex—which had been undergoing extensive renovations—went up in flames. Investigators have since found that protective netting surrounding the buildings did not comply with fire safety regulations. At least 13 individuals have been arrested for alleged culpable homicide, among them the directors of a construction company. "It is a terrible tragedy, it is a big fire. Changes are required. Failures have been detected in multiple areas. Hence we must take decisive action to make certain all these deficiencies are addressed," he said. The Probe and Its Consequences The blaze—advancing with speed both vertically and between the blocks—was only fully doused by Friday morning, approximately two days after it ignited, and required over 2,000 firefighters to bring under control. On that day, authorities started accessing the buildings to collect forensic material. The government indicates the inquiry could require three to four weeks. The inferno is the worst the region has seen in more than 70 years. Systemic Failures Identified A number of occupants have stated they were not alerted by a smoke detector when the blaze erupted. Local firefighters found that alarms in all eight blocks were malfunctioning. Hong Kong's buildings department has temporarily suspended renovation projects on numerous private sites. Calls for Inquiry and Arrests Separately, authorities are said to have arrested a 24-year-old man on suspicion of sedition on the weekend. He was among a gathering petitioning for an autonomous investigation into the fire. An digital signature drive gathered in excess of 10,000 endorsements in less than a day before its contents were wiped. A pair of additional persons, comprising a former district councillor, were also detained by police, according to local media reports. Hong Kong's top official John Lee said that the inquiry would be led by a member of the judiciary. International Reaction Amnesty International and The monitoring body have both denounced the alleged detentions. "Now is the time for the Hong Kong authorities to thoroughly and publicly probe the origins of the catastrophic blaze...instead of suppressing those who ask legitimate questions," stated the organization. Historical Context and Demographics The residential complex was completed in the early 1980s and had supplied close to 2,000 units for around 4,600 occupants, according to a 2021 government census. Almost four in ten of its residents are believed to be at least 65 years old. Some have been occupants of the subsidised housing estate since it was built. The city's second-deadliest fire on record took 176 lives in the mid-20th century and was the result of a blast on the lower level at a multi-story storage facility. The deadliest was at a local racetrack in the early 1900s, when over 600 attendees died.