North India Statesman
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News India Live, Digital Desk: The recent fire in Hong Kong is a terrible example of how far the greed for profit can sometimes take a person. Just a few days ago, what happened in a multi-storey building in ‘Tai Po’ area shook the whole world. Imagine, the people sleeping peacefully in their homes had no idea that the renovation scaffolding installed outside would become their funeral pyre. 128 innocent people were burnt alive in this accident.
Now the administration has woken up from its sleep in this matter and major action has been initiated. The latest news is that the police 8 more people arrested Have done. And believe me, you too will be stunned after hearing the story of their carelessness.
Why did these new arrests happen?
The 8 new people arrested by the police include senior officials, engineers and contractors of the renovation company. Investigation has revealed that death items were being installed in the name of repairing the building where people were living. Highly flammable plastic and foam were used in the nets and bamboo scaffolding that covered the building from outside.
Simply put, the entire building was turned into a ‘matchbox’ of sorts. A spark flashed and within no time it turned the home of 4000 people into hell.
Orgy and ‘silent’ sirens for 42 hours
Surprisingly, when the fire broke out, the building’s fire alarm system did not go off! Imagine that scene – smoke was filling the rooms and people did not know where to run. It took more than 40 hours to extinguish the fire. By then it was too late. 128 people were killed, and sadly around 200 are still missing with no trace. Families are still longing to catch a glimpse of their loved ones near hospitals and piles of debris.
Not just an accident, call it murder
Investigating agencies are no longer considering it as a mere accident. The arrested people are accused of flouting safety standards in pursuit of cheap material. The windows were covered with plastic boards, due to which the smoke could not come out and many died of suffocation. This arrest is perhaps a very small consolation for the families who lost their children, elders and spouses forever.
lesson for us all
This news is from Hong Kong, but it raises questions for us too. In the high-rise buildings where we live, is there any way to escape in case of fire? Is our security also being compromised in the name of renovation? This tragic accident in Hong Kong reminds us how costly a small mistake in security can be.
