🔗 Share this article Hong Kong Leader Orders Probe into Deadly Inferno that Claimed Lives of 151 The city's leader, John Lee, has mandated the establishment of an independent committee to examine the reasons of a devastating fire that claimed the lives of 151 residents. Video reveals rapid pace of blaze propagation in the city's high-rise. A Fire of Historic Proportions On Wednesday last week, most of the apartment buildings at the Wang Fuk Court—that was in the midst of significant upgrades—were engulfed by fire. A probe subsequently revealed that construction site netting installed on the buildings fell short of flame retardant standards. A minimum of 13 people have been taken into custody over potential negligent homicide, including the senior figures of a building firm. "This is indeed a tragedy, the fire was immense. Yes, we need reform. Failures have been detected in various phases. That is exactly why we must act seriously to guarantee all these loopholes are eliminated," he said. The Probe and Its Consequences The fire—advancing with speed both upwards and across the separate towers—was not completely extinguished by Friday morning, around 40 hours after it ignited, and required over 2,000 fire service personnel to subdue. That very day, police began entering the buildings to gather evidence. Authorities say the investigation could last approximately a month. This blaze is the deadliest the city has witnessed in exceeding 70 years. Systemic Failures Identified Multiple inhabitants have reported they failed to hear a emergency siren when the fire broke out. Local firefighters found that warning systems in every tower were not working effectively. Hong Kong's buildings department has temporarily suspended renovation projects on numerous private sites. Demands for Probe and Detentions Additionally, officers took into custody a individual on suspicion of subversion on the weekend. He was involved with a gathering demanding an separate review into the tragedy. An online petition collected in excess of 10,000 supporters in less than a day before its contents were wiped. Two other people, among them a former district councillor, were also detained by police, per news outlets. Hong Kong's top official John Lee said that the committee would be headed by a member of the judiciary. Global Response The rights group and The monitoring body have both condemned the reported arrests. "This is the occasion for the local government to openly examine the origins of the tragic incident...as opposed to silencing those who pose valid inquiries," Amnesty International said. Historical Context and Demographics The housing estate was built in the early 1980s and had supplied close to 2,000 units for approximately 4,600 occupants, per a recent official survey. Nearly 40% of its inhabitants are believed to be at least 65 years old. Several have lived in the public housing complex since it was built. The city's second-worst blaze on record claimed 176 lives in 1948 and was the result of a detonation at street level at a five-storey warehouse. The worst was at Happy Valley Racecourse in 1918, when over 600 attendees perished.