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The city's chief executive, John Lee, has ordered the creation of an separate inquiry panel to probe the origins of a catastrophic blaze that killed at least 151 individuals.

A Fire of Historic Proportions

On Wednesday last week, the majority of the tower blocks at the Wang Fuk Court—which was subject to significant upgrades—were consumed by a blaze. Investigators have since found that safety scaffolding mesh used around the buildings failed to meet fire safety regulations.

No fewer than 13 suspects have been taken into custody over alleged culpable homicide, comprising the directors of a contractor.

"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 ensure that all these gaps are addressed," he said.

The Probe and Its Consequences

The blaze—which spread quickly both upwards and between the blocks—was finally put out by the morning of Friday, some 40 hours after it ignited, and required over 2,000 firefighters to contain.

That very day, authorities started accessing the buildings to collect forensic material. The government indicates the inquiry could take approximately a month.

Systemic Failures Identified

A number of occupants have stated they failed to hear a smoke detector when the incident started. Local firefighters found that alarms in every tower were not working effectively.

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

Calls for Inquiry and Arrests

Additionally, authorities are said to have arrested a 24-year-old man on charges related to sedition on Saturday. He was involved with a collective demanding an independent inquiry into the fire. An digital signature drive gathered in excess of 10,000 endorsements in under 24 hours before its page was taken down.

A pair of additional persons, including a ex-local representative, were also questioned by police, according to news outlets.

Global Response

Amnesty International and Another watchdog have both denounced the reported arrests.

"This is the occasion for the Hong Kong authorities to thoroughly and publicly probe the reasons of the catastrophic blaze...instead of suppressing those who pose valid inquiries," Amnesty International said.

Historical Context and Demographics

The housing estate was constructed in the early 1980s and had offered close to 2,000 units for around 4,600 inhabitants, per a population count.

Almost four in ten of its inhabitants are estimated to be at least 65 years of age. Some have resided in the public housing complex from its inception.

Hong Kong's second-most fatal incident on file killed 176 people in 1948 and was triggered by a ground-floor explosion at a five-storey warehouse. The worst was at Happy Valley Racecourse in 1918, when over 600 people died.