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Hong Kong's leader, John Lee, has directed the formation of an independent committee to probe the origins of a catastrophic blaze that killed at least 151 people.

A Blaze of Unprecedented Scale

Last Wednesday, the majority of the apartment buildings 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 requirements for fire resistance.

A minimum of 13 suspects have been taken into custody over suspected manslaughter, comprising the directors of a construction company.

"Yes, it is a tragedy, the fire was immense. Changes are required. We have uncovered shortcomings in various phases. This is precisely the reason we must take decisive action to make certain all these loopholes are eliminated," stated the leader.

The Probe and Its Consequences

The fire—advancing with speed both upwards and from building to building—was finally put out by the morning of Friday, some 40 hours after it started, and necessitated more than 2,000 emergency responders to subdue.

The same day, police began entering the buildings to collect forensic material. The government indicates the probe could require several weeks.

Shortcomings Uncovered

Several residents have said they were not alerted by a emergency siren when the fire erupted. The city's fire department determined that detection devices in every tower were operating inadequately.

The relevant regulatory body has temporarily suspended construction activities on numerous private sites.

Calls for Inquiry and Arrests

Separately, police reportedly detained a 24-year-old man on allegations of subversion on the weekend. He was part of a collective demanding an autonomous investigation into the tragedy. An internet-based appeal collected in excess of 10,000 signatures in under 24 hours before its contents were wiped.

A pair of additional persons, comprising a past council member, were also taken in by police, as reported by news outlets.

Global Response

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

"This is the occasion for the Hong Kong authorities to thoroughly and publicly probe the causes of the catastrophic blaze...instead of silencing those who raise appropriate concerns," stated the organization.

Background and Resident Profile

The housing estate was constructed in the early 1980s and had supplied close to 2,000 units for some 4,600 occupants, per a 2021 government census.

Nearly 40% of its occupants are believed to be at least 65 years old. Several have been occupants of the subsidised housing estate since its construction.

The city's second-worst blaze on file claimed 176 lives in 1948 and was the result of a blast on the lower level at a commercial building. The worst was at Happy Valley Racecourse in 1918, when over 600 individuals perished.