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Hong Kong's chief executive, John Lee, has mandated the establishment of an independent committee to investigate the cause of a catastrophic blaze that took a minimum of 151 people.

A Blaze of Unprecedented Scale

On Wednesday last week, seven of eight residential blocks at the Wang Fuk Court—which had been undergoing significant upgrades—went up in flames. Investigators have since found that safety scaffolding mesh surrounding the buildings fell short of flame retardant standards.

At least 13 individuals have been taken into custody over potential negligent homicide, comprising the senior figures of a building firm.

"It is a terrible tragedy, it is a big fire. Yes, we need reform. We have uncovered shortcomings in multiple areas. Hence we must act seriously to make certain all these gaps are eliminated," stated the leader.

The Probe and Its Consequences

The inferno—advancing with speed both vertically and from building to building—was only fully doused by the morning of Friday, approximately two days after it ignited, and necessitated over 2,000 fire service personnel to bring under control.

On that day, officers commenced entry into the buildings to gather evidence. The government indicates the investigation could last three to four weeks.

Shortcomings Uncovered

Multiple inhabitants have reported they were not alerted by a emergency siren when the incident erupted. The city's fire department determined that alarms in all eight blocks were not working effectively.

The relevant regulatory body has halted for now works on three dozen private developments.

Calls for Inquiry and Arrests

Additionally, police reportedly detained a young man on charges related to incitement on Saturday. He was involved with a collective demanding an independent inquiry into the blaze. An online petition gathered in excess of 10,000 signatures in under 24 hours before its page was taken down.

Another two individuals, including a ex-local representative, were also taken in by authorities, as reported by local media reports.

Global Response

Amnesty International and The monitoring body have both condemned the reported arrests.

"Now is the time for the local government to transparently investigate the causes of the catastrophic blaze...instead of silencing those who raise appropriate concerns," remarked the group.

Background and Resident Profile

Wang Fuk Court was constructed in 1983 and had provided 1,984 apartments for approximately 4,600 occupants, per a recent official survey.

Almost four in ten of its residents are estimated to be at least 65 years old. Some have been occupants of the subsidised housing estate from its inception.

Hong Kong's second-worst blaze on in history claimed 176 individuals in 1948 and was triggered by a ground-floor explosion at a multi-story storage facility. The most deadly was at a local racetrack in the early 1900s, when over 600 people perished.