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The city's leader, John Lee, has mandated the establishment of an independent committee to investigate the cause of a catastrophic blaze that claimed the lives of 151 people.

A Blaze of Unprecedented Scale

This past Wednesday, the majority of the apartment buildings at the estate—which had been undergoing significant upgrades—went up in flames. Authorities later discovered that protective netting installed on the buildings did not comply with fire safety regulations.

A minimum of 13 people have been arrested for alleged culpable homicide, including the executives of a construction company.

"It is a terrible tragedy, it is a big fire. Yes, we need reform. Failures have been detected in multiple areas. That is exactly why we must respond rigorously to ensure that all these deficiencies are addressed," remarked Mr. Lee.

Investigation and Aftermath

The fire—advancing with speed both upwards and between the blocks—was only fully doused by the end of the week, approximately two days after it started, and necessitated over 2,000 emergency responders to bring under control.

That very day, police began entering the buildings to secure proof. Authorities say the inquiry could last three to four weeks.

Systemic Failures Identified

Several residents have stated they failed to hear a smoke detector when the blaze broke out. Local firefighters found that detection devices in each building were malfunctioning.

The city's construction authority has put on hold construction activities on 30 private projects.

Demands for Probe and Detentions

Additionally, authorities are said to have arrested a young man on allegations of sedition on the weekend. He was among a gathering petitioning for an separate review into the blaze. An internet-based appeal collected over 10,000 supporters in under 24 hours before its page was taken down.

Another two individuals, among them a former district councillor, were also detained by police, as reported by local media reports.

International Reaction

The human rights organization and Another watchdog have both criticised the alleged detentions.

"The moment has come for the Hong Kong authorities to thoroughly and publicly probe the reasons of the devastating fire...rather than suppressing those who pose valid inquiries," stated the organization.

Historical Context and Demographics

The residential complex was completed in the early 1980s and had supplied 1,984 apartments for some 4,600 inhabitants, per a population count.

Nearly 40% of its occupants are estimated to be older than 65 years old. Some have been occupants of the public housing complex since its construction.

The city's second-most fatal incident on file claimed 176 lives in 1948 and was the result of a ground-floor explosion at a commercial building. The worst was at a local racetrack in the early 1900s, when more than 600 attendees perished.