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Hong Kong's leader, John Lee, has directed the formation of an independent committee to investigate the cause of a catastrophic blaze that took a minimum of 151 people.

A Fire of Historic Proportions

Last Wednesday, most of the apartment buildings at the estate—which was subject to significant upgrades—were consumed by a blaze. Investigators have since found that protective netting used around the buildings fell short of requirements for fire resistance.

No fewer than 13 people have been taken into custody over alleged culpable homicide, among them the executives of a construction company.

"This is indeed a tragedy, it is a major blaze. Reform is necessary. We have uncovered shortcomings in various phases. Hence we must take decisive action to make certain all these gaps are addressed," remarked Mr. Lee.

The Probe and Its Consequences

The inferno—that propagated rapidly both vertically and across the separate towers—was not completely extinguished by the morning of Friday, around 40 hours after it started, and took over 2,000 fire service personnel to subdue.

The same day, police began entering the buildings to collect forensic material. Officials state the probe could take three to four weeks.

Systemic Failures Identified

Multiple inhabitants have reported they failed to hear a emergency siren when the fire started. Local firefighters discovered that alarms in all eight blocks were operating inadequately.

The relevant regulatory body has put on hold works on 30 private projects.

Calls for Inquiry and Arrests

Additionally, authorities are said to have arrested a 24-year-old man on allegations of incitement on Saturday. He was involved with a gathering petitioning for an separate review into the fire. An online petition amassed in excess of 10,000 endorsements in under 24 hours before its information was removed.

A pair of additional persons, comprising a former district councillor, were also questioned by police, as reported by local media reports.

Global Response

The human rights organization and Human Rights Watch have both condemned the alleged detentions.

"This is the occasion for the local government to transparently investigate the reasons of the devastating fire...instead of muzzling those who raise appropriate concerns," remarked the group.

Historical Context and Demographics

Wang Fuk Court was built in 1983 and had provided 1,984 apartments for some 4,600 residents, 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 its construction.

Hong Kong's second-most fatal incident on file claimed 176 individuals in the mid-20th century and was caused by a detonation at street level at a multi-story storage facility. The worst was at a local racetrack in 1918, when more than 600 individuals died.