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The city's leader, John Lee, has mandated the establishment of an independent committee to probe the origins of a tragic inferno that claimed the lives of 151 individuals.

A Fire of Historic Proportions

Last Wednesday, most of the apartment buildings at the Wang Fuk Court—which had been undergoing significant upgrades—were consumed by a blaze. Authorities later discovered that construction site netting installed on the buildings failed to meet fire safety regulations.

A minimum of 13 individuals have been taken into custody over suspected manslaughter, among them the directors of a building firm.

"Yes, it is a tragedy, it is a major blaze. Yes, we need reform. We have uncovered shortcomings in different stages. That is exactly why we must act seriously to guarantee all these loopholes are plucked," remarked Mr. Lee.

The Probe and Its Consequences

The blaze—which spread quickly both vertically and from building to building—was not completely extinguished by Friday morning, around 40 hours after it started, and necessitated more than 2,000 emergency responders to bring under control.

On that day, authorities started accessing the buildings to collect forensic material. Authorities say the probe could take three to four weeks.

Shortcomings Uncovered

A number of occupants have reported they were not alerted by a emergency siren when the incident erupted. Local firefighters found that alarms in each building were not working effectively.

Hong Kong's buildings department has put on hold construction activities on numerous private sites.

Demands for Probe and Detentions

Additionally, officers took into custody a individual on suspicion of incitement on Saturday. He was involved with a gathering petitioning for an separate review into the fire. An digital signature drive amassed more than 10,000 signatures in under 24 hours before its contents were wiped.

Another two individuals, among them a former district councillor, were also taken in by officers, per local media reports.

International Reaction

The human rights organization and The monitoring body have both denounced the said apprehensions.

"The moment has come for the local government to thoroughly and publicly probe the reasons of the tragic incident...instead of suppressing those who ask legitimate questions," stated the organization.

Historical Context and Demographics

The residential complex was constructed in 1983 and had offered nearly two thousand flats for approximately 4,600 inhabitants, according to a population count.

Nearly 40% of its occupants are estimated to be over 65 years old. Some have lived in the public housing complex from its inception.

The city's second-most fatal incident on file claimed 176 people in 1948 and was caused by a detonation at street level at a commercial building. The most deadly was at a local racetrack in 1918, when over 600 people lost their lives.