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The city's leader, John Lee, has mandated the establishment of an independent committee to probe the origins of a catastrophic blaze that took a minimum of 151 people.

A Blaze of Unprecedented Scale

On Wednesday last week, most of the apartment buildings at the housing complex—which was subject to significant upgrades—were engulfed by fire. Authorities later discovered that construction site netting surrounding the buildings failed to meet fire safety regulations.

At least 13 individuals have been taken into custody over suspected manslaughter, among them the senior figures of a building firm.

"This is indeed a tragedy, it is a big fire. Changes are required. We have uncovered shortcomings in multiple areas. That is exactly why we must act seriously to guarantee all these gaps are eliminated," stated the leader.

Investigation and Aftermath

The inferno—that propagated rapidly both vertically and between the blocks—was finally put out by the morning of Friday, approximately two days after it started, and took over 2,000 fire service personnel to subdue.

That very day, officers commenced entry into the buildings to gather evidence. The government indicates the probe could require approximately a month.

Systemic Failures Identified

Several residents have stated they did not hear a fire alarm when the incident erupted. Hong Kong's fire service discovered that alarms in all eight blocks were malfunctioning.

Hong Kong's buildings department has halted for now construction activities on 30 private projects.

Demands for Probe and Detentions

Additionally, authorities are said to have arrested a individual on suspicion of incitement on the weekend. He was among a group petitioning for an separate review into the blaze. An internet-based appeal gathered in excess of 10,000 signatures in under 24 hours before its information was removed.

A pair of additional persons, comprising a past council member, were also taken in by officers, per news outlets.

Global Response

Amnesty International and The monitoring body have both denounced the reported arrests.

"Now is the time for the Hong Kong authorities to transparently investigate the causes of the tragic incident...rather than silencing those who ask legitimate questions," stated the organization.

Historical Context and Demographics

The housing estate was built in the early 1980s and had provided nearly two thousand flats for approximately 4,600 residents, per a population count.

Approximately 40 percent of its occupants are believed to be at least 65 years old. Some have resided in the subsidised housing estate from its inception.

The city's second-deadliest fire on record took 176 people in the mid-20th century and was caused by a detonation at street level at a five-storey warehouse. The most deadly was at a local racetrack in 1918, when in excess of 600 people died.