Jakarta, hitclubapk3 Indonesia
—
Head of authority
Hong Kong
, John Lee, formed an independent committee led by a judge on Tuesday (2/12) to investigate the massive apartment fire that killed 151 people last week.
“I will form an independent committee to conduct a thorough and in-depth evaluation to improve the building work system and prevent similar tragedies,” Lee said in an English-language press conference, as quoted
AFP
.
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Hong Kong actually has special rules that allow the government to set up “commissions of inquiry.”
In the past, such commissions were led by judges to find out the facts in complex cases.
This system is a legacy from the British colonial period.However, on Tuesday (2/12), Lee chose to call it an “independent committee.”
Lee said the government discovered a number of weaknesses, and changes in safety, supervision and building standards.
“We must act decisively to ensure every loophole is closed so that those responsible can be held accountable. Shortcomings will be corrected. Obstacles need to be overcome,” said Lee.
“We will improve the entire building renovation system so that incidents like this don’t happen again,” he added.
Previously, local authorities said the fire was the worst incident at the towers of Wang Fuk Court in Tai Po district, Hong Kong.
The fire quickly spread through the building’s external scaffolding network which did not meet fire resistance standards and failed to contain the spread of the fire.
Hong Kong’s anti-corruption agency and police arrested at least 14 people, and more than 13 people were suspected of being negligent about the fire.
“The perpetrators tried to mix inferior nets with suitable nets to deceive inspection agencies and law enforcement officials,” said Lee.
On Monday (1/12), police completed searches in five of the seven affected towers and found bodies in apartment units, corridors and stairs.
A number of victims’ families have now returned to Wang Fuk Court to begin the traditional funeral which is still ongoing.
Meanwhile, a number of people who demanded clarity about the incident were arrested according to local media reports.
24-year-old student Miles Kwan was detained by police for “seditious intent” after distributing leaflets calling for the government to take responsibility.
An online petition containing Kwan’s four demands, including an independent investigation, gathered more than 10,000 signatures in less than a day before being deleted.
Local media also reported the arrest of two other people, including former district councilor Kenneth Cheung, also arrested by police.
Responding to this, Lee said “I will not condone criminal acts, especially acts that take advantage of the tragedy we are experiencing.”
(rnp/bac)
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