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Hong Kong's chief executive, John Lee, has mandated the establishment of an independent committee to examine the reasons of a catastrophic blaze that claimed the lives of 151 people.

A Fire of Historic Proportions

Last Wednesday, the majority of the tower blocks at the housing complex—which had been undergoing major refurbishment—were engulfed by fire. A probe subsequently revealed that safety scaffolding mesh surrounding the buildings did not comply with flame retardant standards.

No fewer than 13 individuals have been detained on suspicion of alleged culpable homicide, including the senior figures of a building firm.

"This is indeed a tragedy, it is a big fire. Reform is necessary. We have uncovered shortcomings in various phases. Hence we must take decisive action to guarantee all these gaps are eliminated," he said.

The Probe and Its Consequences

The fire—that propagated rapidly both vertically and from building to building—was finally put out by Friday morning, around 40 hours after it ignited, and took in excess of 2,000 firefighters to bring under control.

The same day, officers commenced entry into the buildings to gather evidence. Authorities say the inquiry could take approximately a month.

Shortcomings Uncovered

Multiple inhabitants have reported they did not hear a emergency siren when the fire broke out. Hong Kong's fire service discovered that detection devices in every tower were malfunctioning.

Hong Kong's buildings department has temporarily suspended works on three dozen private developments.

Calls for Inquiry and Arrests

In a related development, officers took into custody a 24-year-old man on charges related to incitement on the weekend. He was among a collective calling for an separate review into the blaze. An online petition gathered in excess of 10,000 endorsements in less than a day before its contents were wiped.

A pair of additional persons, including a former district councillor, were also detained by officers, according to local media reports.

Global Response

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

"The moment has come for the local government to transparently investigate the origins of the catastrophic blaze...instead of muzzling those who pose valid inquiries," Amnesty International said.

Historical Context and Demographics

The residential complex was built in the early 1980s and had offered nearly two thousand flats for some 4,600 occupants, based on a 2021 government census.

Nearly 40% of its residents are believed to be over 65 years old. Several have resided in the government-supported development since it was built.

Hong Kong's second-most fatal incident on in history claimed 176 people in 1948 and was caused by a blast on the lower level at a five-storey warehouse. The deadliest was at Happy Valley Racecourse in the early 1900s, when more than 600 people perished.