HONG KONG: Hong Kong’s leader announced Tuesday the creation of a judge-led “independent committee” to investigate the devastating fire at an apartment complex that killed 151 people last week.
Authorities have said the blaze, which was the city’s worst fire in decades, spread quickly via netting used on exterior scaffolding that fell short of fire-resistance standards and failed to stop flames from spreading.
“I will establish an independent committee to conduct comprehensive and in-depth review to reform the building work system and prevent similar tragedies from occurring in the future,” the city’s leader John Lee told a news conference in English, adding that the committee would be led by a judge.
Hong Kong has a legal mechanism to set up “commissions of inquiry,” which in the past were usually led by judges to undertake complex fact-finding exercises — a practice left over from British colonial rule.
Lee used a different term, “independent committee,” on Tuesday.
Lee said that authorities had identified several failures, and that reforms would be needed in safety, supervision, construction and maintenance standards.
“We must act seriously to ensure that all these loopholes are plugged so that those who are responsible will be accountable. The shortcomings will be addressed. The bottlenecks will be addressed,” he said.
“We will reform the whole building renovation system to ensure that such things will not happen again.”
Hong Kong’s anti-corruption watchdog and police, running a joint investigation, have arrested a total of 14 people, 13 of them on suspicion of manslaughter over the blaze.
“The responsible culprits tried to mix up substandard net with qualified nets so as to cheat inspection and law enforcement agencies,” Lee said, calling the suspects “evil.”
The city has seen a massive outpouring of grief as well as calls for accountability, but local media reported the arrests of several people who were calling for answers.
Miles Kwan, 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, which included calls for an independent probe, gathered more than 10,000 signatures in less than a day before its contents were wiped.
Two other people, including former district councilor Kenneth Cheung, were also taken in by police, according to local media reports.
Asked about the arrests, Lee said that “I will not tolerate any crimes, particularly crimes that exploit the tragedy that we have been facing now.”
The world’s deadliest residential building fire since 1980 broke out on Wednesday at the high-rises of Wang Fuk Court in the city’s northern Tai Po district.
Police completed searches in five of the seven affected towers on Monday, finding the remains of victims in apartments, hallways and stairs.
Some families of victims returned to Wang Fuk Court on Monday to begin traditional funeral rites, which are expected to continue.
Hong Kong leader announces ‘independent committee’ to probe fire
https://arab.news/nhjvr
Hong Kong leader announces ‘independent committee’ to probe fire
- The blaze spread quickly via netting used on exterior scaffolding that fell short of fire-resistance standards
- Hong Kong’s anti-corruption watchdog and police, running a joint investigation, have arrested a total of 14 people
Kremlin says Putin is mediating in Iran to normalize situation
- Putin had then been briefed by Pezeshkian in a separate call on what the Kremlin called Tehran’s “sustained efforts” to normalize the situation inside Iran
MOSCOW: President Vladimir Putin is mediating in the Iran situation to quickly de-escalate tensions, the Kremlin said on Friday, after the Russian leader spoke with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian.
Moscow has condemned US threats of new military strikes after Iran acted against protests that broke out late last month.
Putin in his call with Netanyahu expressed Russia’s willingness to “continue its mediation efforts and to promote constructive dialogue with the participation of all interested states,” the Kremlin said, adding he had set out his ideas for boosting stability in the Middle East.
No further details were given on Putin’s mediation attempt.
Putin had then been briefed by Pezeshkian in a separate call on what the Kremlin called Tehran’s “sustained efforts” to normalize the situation inside Iran.
“It was noted that Russia and Iran unanimously and consistently support de-escalating
the tensions — both surrounding Iran and in the region as a whole — as soon as possible
and resolving any emerging issues through exclusively political and diplomatic means,” the Kremlin said.
Putin and Pezeshkian had confirmed their commitment to their countries’ strategic partnership and to implementing joint economic projects, the Kremlin added.
Separately, the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, which includes Russia, China, India, and Iran, among others, said it opposed external interference in Iran and blamed Western sanctions for creating conditions for unrest.
“Unilateral sanctions have had a significant negative impact on the economic stability of the state, led to a deterioration in people’s living conditions, and objectively limited the ability of the Government of the Islamic Republic of Iran to implement measures to ensure the country’s socio-economic development,” the SCO said in a statement.
Protests erupted on Dec. 28 over soaring inflation in Iran, whose economy has been crippled by sanctions.
Asked what support Russia could provide to Iran, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said: “Russia is already providing assistance not only to Iran but also to the entire region, and to the cause of regional stability and peace. This is partly thanks to the president’s efforts to help de-escalate tensions.”
The US Treasury on Thursday announced new sanctions targeting Iranian officials, including Ali Larijani, secretary of Iran’s Supreme Council for National Security.
