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Hong Kong's chief executive, John Lee, has mandated the establishment of an independent committee to examine the reasons of a devastating fire that took a minimum of 151 individuals.

A Blaze of Unprecedented Scale

Last Wednesday, the majority of the apartment buildings at the Wang Fuk Court—that was in the midst of extensive renovations—were engulfed by fire. Investigators have since found that safety scaffolding mesh used around the buildings did not comply with requirements for fire resistance.

A minimum of 13 individuals have been detained on suspicion of potential negligent homicide, among them the executives of a building firm.

"This is indeed a tragedy, it is a major blaze. Changes are required. Failures have been detected in different stages. This is precisely the reason we must act seriously to guarantee all these loopholes are eliminated," remarked Mr. Lee.

Investigation and Aftermath

The fire—which spread quickly both vertically and across the separate towers—was only fully doused by the morning of Friday, some 40 hours after it ignited, and required more than 2,000 fire service personnel to contain.

That very day, police began entering the buildings to gather evidence. The government indicates the probe could last three to four weeks.

Systemic Failures Identified

Multiple inhabitants have reported they failed to hear a fire alarm when the fire started. Hong Kong's fire service determined that warning systems in each building were malfunctioning.

Hong Kong's buildings department has temporarily suspended renovation projects on 30 private projects.

Calls for Inquiry and Arrests

Additionally, officers took into custody a 24-year-old man on charges related to incitement on the weekend. He was among a group demanding an autonomous investigation into the tragedy. An online petition gathered more than 10,000 signatures in a very short time before its information was removed.

A pair of additional persons, including a past council member, were also detained by police, as reported by press accounts.

International Reaction

The human rights organization and Another watchdog have both criticised the said apprehensions.

"Now is the time for the Hong Kong authorities to openly examine the origins of the catastrophic blaze...instead of muzzling those who pose valid inquiries," Amnesty International said.

Background and Resident Profile

The housing estate was built in 1983 and had offered 1,984 apartments for approximately 4,600 residents, based on a recent official survey.

Almost four in ten of its inhabitants are estimated to be older than 65 years of age. Several have resided in the government-supported development since it was built.

The city's second-most fatal incident on file killed 176 lives in the mid-20th century and was caused by a ground-floor explosion at a commercial building. The most deadly was at a sporting venue in the early 1900s, when in excess of 600 individuals died.