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Hong Kong's leader, John Lee, has ordered the creation of an separate inquiry panel to investigate the cause of a tragic inferno that claimed the lives of 151 residents.

A Blaze of Unprecedented Scale

This past Wednesday, the majority of the tower blocks at the estate—which was subject to major refurbishment—were engulfed by fire. Investigators have since found that safety scaffolding mesh surrounding the buildings fell short of flame retardant standards.

No fewer than 13 suspects have been arrested for potential negligent homicide, including the executives of a building firm.

"Yes, it is a tragedy, the fire was immense. Changes are required. Yes, we have identified failures in various phases. This is precisely the reason we must act seriously to ensure that all these gaps are plucked," stated the leader.

Investigation and Aftermath

The fire—which spread quickly both upwards and across the separate towers—was not completely extinguished by the end of the week, approximately two days after it started, and required in excess of 2,000 fire service personnel to bring under control.

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

Shortcomings Uncovered

Multiple inhabitants have reported they were not alerted by a smoke detector when the incident broke out. The city's fire department found that alarms in each building were malfunctioning.

Hong Kong's buildings department has halted for now renovation projects on 30 private projects.

Demands for Probe and Detentions

Separately, officers took into custody a young man on allegations of subversion on the weekend. He was among a group petitioning for an separate review into the fire. An digital signature drive amassed more than 10,000 supporters in a very short time before its contents were wiped.

Another two individuals, comprising a past council member, were also detained by police, according to local media reports.

International Reaction

Amnesty International and The monitoring body have both condemned the said apprehensions.

"This is the occasion for the Hong Kong authorities to openly examine the causes of the devastating fire...rather than silencing those who ask legitimate questions," stated the organization.

Background and Resident Profile

Wang Fuk Court was built in 1983 and had offered 1,984 apartments for approximately 4,600 inhabitants, based on a population count.

Almost four in ten of its inhabitants are thought to be older than 65 years old. Some have lived in the government-supported development since it was built.

The city's second-most fatal incident on record claimed 176 lives in 1948 and was the result of a detonation at street level at a multi-story storage facility. The deadliest was at Happy Valley Racecourse in 1918, when more than 600 individuals perished.