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Hong Kong's leader, John Lee, has ordered the creation of an independent committee to examine the reasons of a catastrophic blaze that claimed the lives of 151 residents.

A Blaze of Unprecedented Scale

On Wednesday last week, seven of eight tower blocks at the Wang Fuk Court—that was in the midst of major refurbishment—went up in flames. Authorities later discovered that construction site netting surrounding the buildings did not comply with fire safety regulations.

At least 13 individuals have been taken into custody over potential negligent homicide, including the directors of a construction company.

"This is indeed a tragedy, it is a big fire. Changes are required. We have uncovered shortcomings in multiple areas. Hence we must respond rigorously to ensure that all these loopholes are eliminated," stated the leader.

Investigation and Aftermath

The blaze—which spread quickly both vertically and between the blocks—was not completely extinguished by the end of the week, approximately two days after it ignited, and took over 2,000 emergency responders to subdue.

The same day, authorities started accessing the buildings to gather evidence. Officials state the probe could last several weeks.

Shortcomings Uncovered

A number of occupants have reported they did not hear a smoke detector when the fire broke out. The city's fire department discovered that alarms in every tower were malfunctioning.

The city's construction authority has halted for now renovation projects on three dozen private developments.

Demands for Probe and Detentions

In a related development, authorities are said to have arrested a young man on suspicion of sedition on the weekend. He was among a collective demanding an independent inquiry into the tragedy. An online petition gathered more than 10,000 endorsements in a very short time before its information was removed.

Another two individuals, including a past council member, were also detained by police, according to press accounts.

International Reaction

The rights group and Human Rights Watch have both condemned the alleged detentions.

"This is the occasion for the Hong Kong authorities to thoroughly and publicly probe the reasons of the tragic incident...instead of muzzling those who raise appropriate concerns," Amnesty International said.

Background and Resident Profile

The housing estate was built in the early 1980s and had provided 1,984 apartments for some 4,600 occupants, based on a 2021 government census.

Nearly 40% of its inhabitants are estimated to be at least 65 years old. A number have lived in the public housing complex from its inception.

The city's second-most fatal incident on in history took 176 people in the mid-20th century and was caused by a ground-floor explosion at a multi-story storage facility. The most deadly was at a sporting venue in 1918, when in excess of 600 attendees died.