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Hong Kong's chief executive, John Lee, has ordered the creation of an independent committee to probe the origins of a catastrophic blaze that took a minimum of 151 individuals.

A Blaze of Unprecedented Scale

On Wednesday last week, most of the apartment buildings at the estate—which had been undergoing major refurbishment—were engulfed by fire. A probe subsequently revealed that safety scaffolding mesh installed on the buildings failed to meet fire safety regulations.

A minimum of 13 people have been taken into custody over suspected manslaughter, comprising the senior figures of a building firm.

"This is indeed a tragedy, it is a big fire. Changes are required. Yes, we have identified failures in multiple areas. That is exactly why we must take decisive action to make certain all these loopholes are eliminated," stated the leader.

Investigation and Aftermath

The fire—that propagated rapidly both upwards and between the blocks—was only fully doused by the end of the week, around 40 hours after it began, and necessitated in excess of 2,000 firefighters to bring under control.

The same day, officers commenced entry into the buildings to gather evidence. Authorities say the investigation could last approximately a month.

Systemic Failures Identified

Multiple inhabitants have stated they failed to hear a fire alarm when the fire broke out. Local firefighters discovered that detection devices in each building were malfunctioning.

The city's construction authority has halted for now construction activities on numerous private sites.

Demands for Probe and Detentions

In a related development, officers took into custody a young man on allegations of sedition on the weekend. He was involved with a group calling for an separate review into the blaze. An digital signature drive amassed over 10,000 supporters in under 24 hours before its contents were wiped.

Two other people, comprising a ex-local representative, were also detained by officers, as reported by local media reports.

International Reaction

The human rights organization and The monitoring body have both criticised the reported arrests.

"This is the occasion for the city's officials to openly examine the reasons of the devastating fire...as opposed to silencing those who ask legitimate questions," stated the organization.

Historical Context and Demographics

The residential complex was constructed in the early 1980s and had supplied nearly two thousand flats for around 4,600 inhabitants, according to a 2021 government census.

Almost four in ten of its occupants are thought to be older than 65 years of age. Several have lived in the public housing complex since its construction.

The city's second-deadliest fire on record claimed 176 people in 1948 and was caused by a detonation at street level at a five-storey warehouse. The deadliest was at Happy Valley Racecourse in the early 1900s, when in excess of 600 attendees perished.