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The city's leader, John Lee, has ordered the creation of an independent committee to probe the origins of a devastating fire that killed at least 151 individuals.

A Blaze of Unprecedented Scale

This past Wednesday, the majority of the tower blocks at the Wang Fuk Court—which had been undergoing major refurbishment—went up in flames. A probe subsequently revealed that safety scaffolding mesh surrounding the buildings did not comply with fire safety regulations.

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

"It is a terrible tragedy, the fire was immense. Yes, we need reform. Yes, we have identified failures in different stages. Hence we must act seriously to guarantee all these loopholes are plucked," stated the leader.

Investigation and Aftermath

The fire—which spread quickly both vertically and from building to building—was not completely extinguished by the morning of Friday, around 40 hours after it started, and required in excess of 2,000 firefighters to subdue.

On that day, officers commenced entry into the buildings to collect forensic material. The government indicates the probe could require several weeks.

Shortcomings Uncovered

Several residents have said they failed to hear a emergency siren when the blaze erupted. The city's fire department determined that warning systems in every tower were malfunctioning.

The relevant regulatory body has temporarily suspended construction activities on three dozen private developments.

Demands for Probe and Detentions

Separately, police reportedly detained a individual on allegations of incitement on the weekend. He was involved with a collective petitioning for an separate review into the fire. An online petition gathered more than 10,000 supporters in a very short time before its contents were wiped.

Two other people, among them a past council member, were also taken in by authorities, according to local media reports.

International Reaction

The rights group and The monitoring body have both condemned the reported arrests.

"Now is the time for the local government to thoroughly and publicly probe the reasons of the devastating fire...instead of muzzling those who ask legitimate questions," stated the organization.

Historical Context and Demographics

The residential complex was constructed in the early 1980s and had offered nearly two thousand flats for around 4,600 residents, according to a population count.

Nearly 40% of its occupants are estimated to be over 65 years of age. Some have lived in the subsidised housing estate since its construction.

Hong Kong's second-most fatal incident on record took 176 lives in 1948 and was the result of a ground-floor explosion at a multi-story storage facility. The most deadly was at a local racetrack in 1918, when over 600 people perished.