Hong Kong is to set up an independent committee to investigate the causes of the territory’s deadliest fire in decades, after authorities found substandard building materials had accelerated the blaze, Hong Kong Chief Executive John Lee (李家超) said yesterday.
The fire last week engulfed seven residential towers under renovation in the New Territories’ Tai Po District, killing at least 156 people, displacing thousands more and fueling public demands for accountability.
Of the 156 people confirmed to have died, 29 had yet to be identified, police told reporters, adding that another 30 people remained unaccounted for.
Photo: AFP
Police said they had arrested 15 people on suspicion of manslaughter, after an initial probe found that the netting used on exterior scaffolding fell short of fire-resistance standards.
“I will establish an independent committee to conduct a comprehensive and in-depth review to reform the building work system and prevent similar tragedies from occurring in the future,” Lee told a news conference.
The committee is to be led by a judge to ensure its independence and credibility, he said.
“The responsible culprits tried to mix up substandard nets with qualified nets so as to cheat inspection and law enforcement agencies,” he said, calling the suspects “evil.”
Authorities have already identified several failures, he said, pledging reforms to “the whole building renovation system to ensure that such things will not happen again.”.
While Hong Kong has seen an outpouring of grief, local media reported that several people who were calling for answers and accountability had been arrested.
Miles Kwan (關靖豐), a 24-year-old student, was reportedly arrested by police for “seditious intent” after handing out flyers demanding government accountability.
An online petition containing Kwan’s four demands, including an independent probe, gathered more than 10,000 signatures in less than a day before it was wiped.
Kwan left a police station on Monday, an AFP reporter saw.
Former district councilor Kenneth Cheung (張錦雄) was also taken by police, local media reported. He later said he had been released on bail.
Human Rights Watch urged the Hong Kong government to “ensure a transparent investigation and accountability.”
“It’s crucially important not to treat those demanding answers for the tragic fire as criminals,” the group’s Asia director Elaine Pearson said, adding that the disaster “raises serious concerns” over Beijing’s influence in Hong Kong.
Asked about the arrests, Lee told AFP: “I will not tolerate any crimes, particularly crimes that exploit the tragedy that we have been facing now.”
Lee added that the upcoming Legislative Council elections set for Sunday would go ahead, after rumors of cancelation.
A press conference of civil society representatives scheduled for yesterday to discuss government relief efforts and construction regulations was abruptly canceled, according to an invitation seen by AFP and notifications sent to reporters.
Local media reported that the meeting’s initiator, Bruce Liu (廖成利), and others were “invited to a meeting” by national security police.
He was later seen leaving a police station.
THREATS: Naval facilities have been built in Shanghai and Zhejiang, while airbases have been expanded in Xiamen, Fuzhou and Zhangpu, across the Strait from Taiwan The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) is building large-scale military infrastructure at five sites along the eastern coast of China, the Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) said in a recent report. The latest issue of the council’s Mainland China Situation Quarterly said satellite photos showed military infrastructure such as air force and naval bases being constructed along the eastern coast of China. That means the CCP might be preparing for potential conflict in Taiwan, it said, adding that there are five such construction sites from north to south. A naval base has been built in Shanghai’s Pudong New Area, with underground oil storage tanks, railway
MILESTONE: The foreign minister called the signing ‘a major step forward in US-Taiwan relations,’ while the Presidential Office said it was a symbol of the nations’ shared values US President Donald Trump on Tuesday signed into law the Taiwan Assurance Implementation Act, which requires the US Department of State to regularly review and update guidelines governing official US interactions with Taiwan. The new law is an amendment to the Taiwan Assurance Act of 2020 focused on reviewing guidelines on US interactions with Taiwan. Previously, the state department was required to conduct a one-time review of its guidance governing relations with Taiwan, but under the new bill, the agency must conduct a review “not less than every five years.” It must then submit an updated report based on its findings “not later
GIVE BACK: The president thanked immigrants, recounting heartwarming stories, from a gymnast helping athletes shine internationally to a spouse helping the disadvantaged There is no need to amend the law to exempt Chinese spouses from single allegiance to the Republic of China (ROC), President William Lai (賴清德) said yesterday, adding that such changes would only increase the public’s doubts toward new residents from China and would not improve social harmony. Taiwan is a democratic, diverse and free country, he said. “No matter which ethnic group you belong to, where you come from or when you arrive, as long as you identify with Taiwan, you are masters of this country,” he said. Taiwan is a democratic nation that follows the rule of law, where immigrants are
A trial run of the north concourse of Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport’s new Terminal 3 is to commence today, the Ministry of Transportation and Communications said yesterday. The eight additional boarding gates would allow for more aircraft parking spaces that are expected to boost the airport’s capacity by 5.8 million passengers annually, Deputy Minister of Transportation and Communications Lin Kuo-shian (林國顯) said. The concourse, designed by a team led by British architect Richard Rogers, provides a refreshing space, Lin said, adding that travelers would enjoy the tall and transparent design that allows sunshine to stream into the concourse through glass curtain walls. The
RSS