🔗 Share this article The city's Leader Orders Investigation into Tragic Inferno 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 catastrophic blaze that killed at least 151 people. Footage depicts rapid pace of fire spread in Hong Kong high-rise. A Blaze of Unprecedented Scale This past Wednesday, seven of eight residential blocks at the Wang Fuk Court—which had been undergoing major refurbishment—went up in flames. Authorities later discovered that safety scaffolding mesh installed on the buildings did not comply with fire safety regulations. At least 13 people have been taken into custody over alleged culpable homicide, among them the directors of a construction company. "It is a terrible tragedy, it is a big fire. Reform is necessary. Failures have been detected in different stages. This is precisely the reason we must act seriously to make certain all these deficiencies are eliminated," stated the leader. The Probe and Its Consequences The inferno—advancing with speed both vertically and from building to building—was only fully doused by Friday morning, around 40 hours after it began, and required over 2,000 emergency responders to contain. The same day, authorities started accessing the buildings to secure proof. The government indicates the inquiry could last several weeks. This blaze is the most fatal the region has witnessed in exceeding 70 years. Systemic Failures Identified Several residents have reported they failed to hear a emergency siren when the fire started. The city's fire department determined that detection devices in every tower were not working effectively. The city's construction authority has put on hold construction activities on 30 private projects. Calls for Inquiry and Arrests Separately, police reportedly detained a individual on suspicion of incitement on Saturday. He was among a gathering demanding an independent inquiry into the tragedy. An online petition amassed over 10,000 signatures in under 24 hours before its information was removed. Two other people, including a past council member, were also detained by authorities, as reported by local media reports. The city's leader John Lee said that the committee would be headed by a judicial officer. Global Response The rights group and The monitoring body have both criticised the said apprehensions. "Now is the time for the Hong Kong authorities to openly examine the reasons of the catastrophic blaze...instead of muzzling those who raise appropriate concerns," Amnesty International said. Background and Resident Profile The residential complex was built in the early 1980s and had provided close to 2,000 units for around 4,600 residents, based on a 2021 government census. Nearly 40% of its occupants are estimated to be at least 65 years old. A number have lived in the government-supported development since its construction. The city's second-worst blaze on record took 176 individuals in 1948 and was triggered by a ground-floor explosion at a commercial building. The worst was at Happy Valley Racecourse in the early 1900s, when more than 600 individuals lost their lives.