🔗 Share this article

The city's chief executive, John Lee, has ordered the creation of an autonomous task force to probe the origins of a devastating fire that took a minimum of 151 residents.

A Blaze of Unprecedented Scale

Last Wednesday, seven of eight apartment buildings at the estate—that was in the midst of major refurbishment—were engulfed by fire. Investigators have since found that construction site netting surrounding the buildings fell short of flame retardant standards.

No fewer than 13 suspects have been taken into custody over alleged culpable homicide, including the executives of a building firm.

"This is indeed a tragedy, the fire was immense. Changes are required. Failures have been detected in various phases. That is exactly why we must take decisive action to ensure that all these gaps are addressed," remarked Mr. Lee.

Investigation and Aftermath

The blaze—which spread quickly both upwards and between the blocks—was finally put out by the end of the week, around 40 hours after it began, and necessitated more than 2,000 fire service personnel to subdue.

That very day, officers commenced entry into the buildings to collect forensic material. Officials state the investigation could take three to four weeks.

Shortcomings Uncovered

A number of occupants have said they failed to hear a smoke detector when the fire started. The city's fire department determined that warning systems in every tower were not working effectively.

The city's construction authority has put on hold renovation projects on 30 private projects.

Calls for Inquiry and Arrests

In a related development, officers took into custody a young man on allegations of incitement on Saturday. He was part of a collective calling for an independent inquiry into the tragedy. An online petition gathered more than 10,000 signatures in under 24 hours before its information was removed.

Two other people, among them a former district councillor, were also questioned by officers, according to press accounts.

International Reaction

The rights group and Human Rights Watch have both criticised the said apprehensions.

"The moment has come for the city's officials to thoroughly and publicly probe the causes of the tragic incident...instead of silencing those who raise appropriate concerns," stated the organization.

Historical Context and Demographics

The residential complex was constructed in 1983 and had provided nearly two thousand flats for some 4,600 occupants, based on a population count.

Approximately 40 percent of its occupants are thought to be at least 65 years of age. A number have lived in the public housing complex from its inception.

The city's second-most fatal incident on in history claimed 176 lives in the mid-20th century and was triggered by a blast on the lower level at a commercial building. The deadliest was at Happy Valley Racecourse in the early 1900s, when more than 600 attendees died.