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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 individuals.

A Fire of Historic Proportions

On Wednesday last week, most of the residential blocks at the Wang Fuk Court—which was subject to major refurbishment—were engulfed by fire. Investigators have since found that safety scaffolding mesh used around the buildings fell short of fire safety regulations.

A minimum of 13 people have been taken into custody over suspected manslaughter, among them the senior figures of a construction company.

"Yes, it is a tragedy, the fire was immense. Reform is necessary. We have uncovered shortcomings in multiple areas. Hence we must respond rigorously to make certain all these gaps are eliminated," stated the leader.

The Probe and Its Consequences

The inferno—that propagated rapidly both vertically and from building to building—was finally put out by the end of the week, around 40 hours after it began, and required over 2,000 firefighters to subdue.

The same day, authorities started accessing the buildings to gather evidence. Officials state the probe could require approximately a month.

Systemic Failures Identified

A number of occupants have stated they failed to hear a smoke detector when the fire broke out. The city's fire department discovered that alarms in all eight blocks were operating inadequately.

The relevant regulatory body has put on hold renovation projects on three dozen private developments.

Calls for Inquiry and Arrests

In a related development, officers took into custody a individual on suspicion of sedition on the weekend. He was part of a collective petitioning for an independent inquiry into the fire. An internet-based appeal gathered in excess of 10,000 signatures in under 24 hours before its contents were wiped.

Another two individuals, comprising a former district councillor, were also taken in by authorities, as reported by news outlets.

Global Response

The human rights organization and The monitoring body have both criticised the reported arrests.

"This is the occasion for the city's officials to transparently investigate the origins of the devastating fire...rather than suppressing those who ask legitimate questions," remarked the group.

Background and Resident Profile

The housing estate was built in the early 1980s and had offered close to 2,000 units for approximately 4,600 occupants, based on a population count.

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

The city's second-most fatal incident on file claimed 176 people in the mid-20th century and was triggered by a blast on the lower level at a five-storey warehouse. The worst was at a sporting venue in 1918, when in excess of 600 individuals lost their lives.