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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 residents.

A Blaze of Unprecedented Scale

This past Wednesday, seven of eight apartment buildings at the housing complex—that was in the midst of extensive renovations—were engulfed by fire. Authorities later discovered that construction site netting surrounding the buildings did not comply with fire safety regulations.

At least 13 suspects have been detained on suspicion of suspected manslaughter, including the senior figures of a building firm.

"This is indeed a tragedy, the fire was immense. Yes, we need reform. Yes, we have identified failures in different stages. Hence we must respond rigorously to make certain all these deficiencies are plucked," he said.

The Probe and Its Consequences

The blaze—that propagated rapidly both upwards and across the separate towers—was not completely extinguished by Friday morning, approximately two days after it began, and required over 2,000 fire service personnel to subdue.

That very day, police began entering the buildings to secure proof. Authorities say the investigation could take several weeks.

Shortcomings Uncovered

A number of occupants have stated they failed to hear a smoke detector when the fire broke out. The city's fire department found that warning systems in every tower were not working effectively.

Hong Kong's buildings department has temporarily suspended renovation projects on three dozen private developments.

Calls for Inquiry and Arrests

Separately, officers took into custody a young man on suspicion of sedition on Saturday. He was involved with a gathering demanding an autonomous investigation into the blaze. An online petition amassed in excess of 10,000 supporters in a very short time before its information was removed.

Two other people, comprising a former district councillor, were also taken in by police, per press accounts.

Global Response

The human rights organization and Another watchdog have both criticised the reported arrests.

"This is the occasion for the local government to transparently investigate the origins of the catastrophic blaze...as opposed to muzzling those who raise appropriate concerns," Amnesty International said.

Background and Resident Profile

Wang Fuk Court was completed in the early 1980s and had offered 1,984 apartments for some 4,600 occupants, according to a recent official survey.

Nearly 40% of its residents are estimated to be at least 65 years old. Several have been occupants of the public housing complex since it was built.

Hong Kong's second-most fatal incident on file killed 176 individuals in the mid-20th century and was triggered by a ground-floor explosion at a commercial building. The worst was at a local racetrack in the early 1900s, when in excess of 600 individuals perished.