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Hong Kong's chief executive, John Lee, has directed the formation of an separate inquiry panel to investigate the cause of a tragic inferno that killed at least 151 residents.

A Blaze of Unprecedented Scale

This past Wednesday, the majority of the apartment buildings at the housing complex—that was in the midst of significant upgrades—were engulfed by fire. Investigators have since found that construction site netting installed on the buildings failed to meet fire safety regulations.

A minimum of 13 people have been taken into custody over alleged culpable homicide, including the senior figures of a contractor.

"Yes, it is a tragedy, the fire was immense. Yes, we need reform. Yes, we have identified failures in multiple areas. Hence we must act seriously to make certain all these deficiencies are plucked," stated the leader.

The Probe and Its Consequences

The inferno—which spread quickly both upwards and from building to building—was finally put out by the morning of Friday, approximately two days after it ignited, and required more than 2,000 firefighters to subdue.

The same day, officers commenced entry into the buildings to gather evidence. The government indicates the inquiry could require several weeks.

Shortcomings Uncovered

Multiple inhabitants have stated they were not alerted by a emergency siren when the blaze erupted. Local firefighters discovered that alarms in each building were malfunctioning.

The city's construction authority has put on hold construction activities on numerous private sites.

Calls for Inquiry and Arrests

Additionally, officers took into custody a young man on charges related to sedition on Saturday. He was part of a gathering petitioning for an separate review into the fire. An digital signature drive amassed over 10,000 endorsements in under 24 hours before its contents were wiped.

Another two individuals, including a ex-local representative, were also taken in by officers, per press accounts.

International Reaction

Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch have both denounced the alleged detentions.

"The moment has come for the local government to thoroughly and publicly probe the origins of the catastrophic blaze...rather than muzzling those who raise appropriate concerns," stated the organization.

Historical Context and Demographics

The residential complex was built in 1983 and had provided nearly two thousand flats for around 4,600 inhabitants, based on a recent official survey.

Almost four in ten of its inhabitants are believed to be over 65 years old. Some have resided in the subsidised housing estate since it was built.

Hong Kong's second-most fatal incident on in history killed 176 people in the mid-20th century and was the result of a detonation at street level at a five-storey warehouse. The deadliest was at a local racetrack in the early 1900s, when more than 600 attendees lost their lives.