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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 took a minimum of 151 people.

A Fire of Historic Proportions

Last Wednesday, most of the residential blocks at the Wang Fuk Court—that was in the midst of extensive renovations—were engulfed by fire. A probe subsequently revealed that safety scaffolding mesh installed on the buildings did not comply with flame retardant standards.

No fewer than 13 suspects have been taken into custody over suspected manslaughter, comprising the senior figures of a construction company.

"Yes, it is a tragedy, it is a major blaze. Changes are required. Failures have been detected in multiple areas. Hence we must take decisive action to ensure that all these gaps are plucked," remarked Mr. Lee.

Investigation and Aftermath

The blaze—that propagated rapidly both vertically and across the separate towers—was only fully doused by Friday morning, some 40 hours after it began, and required over 2,000 emergency responders to bring under control.

That very day, police began entering the buildings to secure proof. Authorities say the probe could last approximately a month.

Systemic Failures Identified

Several residents have reported they did not hear a emergency siren when the fire erupted. Local firefighters found that alarms in each building were operating inadequately.

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

Calls for Inquiry and Arrests

Separately, police reportedly detained a young man on charges related to sedition on the weekend. He was among a gathering calling for an separate review into the fire. An digital signature drive amassed over 10,000 signatures in under 24 hours before its page was taken down.

A pair of additional persons, including a former district councillor, were also detained by authorities, per press accounts.

Global Response

The rights group and Another watchdog have both denounced the said apprehensions.

"This is the occasion for the local government to transparently investigate the causes of the tragic incident...as opposed to suppressing those who raise appropriate concerns," stated the organization.

Historical Context and Demographics

The residential complex was built in 1983 and had supplied close to 2,000 units for around 4,600 inhabitants, based on a 2021 government census.

Approximately 40 percent of its occupants are believed to be older than 65 years old. Several have resided in the subsidised housing estate from its inception.

Hong Kong's second-deadliest fire on in history took 176 lives in the mid-20th century and was the result of a blast on the lower level at a commercial building. The worst was at a local racetrack in 1918, when in excess of 600 people died.