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Hong Kong's leader, John Lee, has mandated the establishment of an independent committee to examine the reasons of a tragic inferno that claimed the lives of 151 individuals.

A Blaze of Unprecedented Scale

On Wednesday last week, seven of eight residential blocks at the Wang Fuk Court—which had been undergoing major refurbishment—went up in flames. Authorities later discovered that protective netting used around the buildings did not comply with fire safety regulations.

A minimum of 13 people have been arrested for suspected manslaughter, among them the executives of a building firm.

"It is a terrible tragedy, the fire was immense. Changes are required. Yes, we have identified failures in various phases. This is precisely the reason we must respond rigorously to guarantee all these loopholes are addressed," remarked Mr. Lee.

The Probe and Its Consequences

The blaze—which spread quickly both upwards and from building to building—was only fully doused by the end of the week, around 40 hours after it ignited, and required more than 2,000 firefighters to contain.

That very day, police began entering the buildings to collect forensic material. The government indicates the investigation could require several weeks.

Shortcomings Uncovered

Multiple inhabitants have said they were not alerted by a smoke detector when the fire started. The city's fire department determined that alarms in each building were not working effectively.

The city's construction authority has halted for now works on 30 private projects.

Demands for Probe and Detentions

Separately, authorities are said to have arrested a 24-year-old man on charges related to subversion on Saturday. He was involved with a gathering demanding an separate review into the blaze. An online petition collected over 10,000 signatures in less than a day before its contents were wiped.

Two other people, including a former district councillor, were also questioned by authorities, as reported by press accounts.

International Reaction

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

"Now is the time for the Hong Kong authorities to transparently investigate the reasons of the tragic incident...as opposed to muzzling those who ask legitimate questions," stated the organization.

Background and Resident Profile

Wang Fuk Court was constructed in 1983 and had supplied 1,984 apartments for approximately 4,600 residents, based on a recent official survey.

Almost four in ten of its residents are estimated to be older than 65 years old. A number have been occupants of the public housing complex from its inception.

The city's second-worst blaze on file took 176 people in the mid-20th century and was the result of a blast on the lower level at a five-storey warehouse. The deadliest was at a sporting venue in the early 1900s, when in excess of 600 attendees died.