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Hong Kong's leader, John Lee, has directed the formation of an separate inquiry panel to examine the reasons of a catastrophic blaze that took a minimum of 151 residents.

A Blaze of Unprecedented Scale

Last Wednesday, seven of eight tower blocks at the Wang Fuk Court—which was subject to major refurbishment—were consumed by a blaze. Investigators have since found that protective netting used around the buildings failed to meet flame retardant standards.

At least 13 individuals have been arrested for suspected manslaughter, including the senior figures of a construction company.

"This is indeed a tragedy, the fire was immense. Yes, we need reform. Failures have been detected in different stages. This is precisely the reason we must act seriously to make certain all these deficiencies are addressed," stated the leader.

The Probe and Its Consequences

The inferno—advancing with speed both vertically and across the separate towers—was not completely extinguished by the morning of Friday, around 40 hours after it began, and took more than 2,000 emergency responders to bring under control.

That very day, authorities started accessing the buildings to gather evidence. The government indicates the probe could take approximately a month.

Systemic Failures Identified

Multiple inhabitants have reported they did not hear a smoke detector when the fire broke out. Local firefighters determined that detection devices in every tower were malfunctioning.

Hong Kong's buildings department has halted for now renovation projects on 30 private projects.

Demands for Probe and Detentions

Separately, police reportedly detained a young man on allegations of incitement on the weekend. He was part of a group calling for an independent inquiry into the fire. An online petition gathered over 10,000 endorsements in under 24 hours before its contents were wiped.

Two other people, comprising a past council member, were also questioned by authorities, as reported by press accounts.

International Reaction

The human rights organization and Human Rights Watch have both criticised the said apprehensions.

"Now is the time for the local government to thoroughly and publicly probe the causes of the catastrophic blaze...as opposed to suppressing those who ask legitimate questions," Amnesty International said.

Historical Context and Demographics

The residential complex was completed in the early 1980s and had offered 1,984 apartments for approximately 4,600 inhabitants, according to a population count.

Almost four in ten of its occupants are estimated to be at least 65 years old. Some have lived in the subsidised housing estate since its construction.

The city's second-deadliest fire on file claimed 176 lives in 1948 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 over 600 attendees died.