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Hong Kong's leader, John Lee, has mandated the establishment of an separate inquiry panel to probe the origins of a devastating fire that took a minimum of 151 people.

A Fire of Historic Proportions

On Wednesday last week, the majority of the tower blocks at the Wang Fuk Court—which had been undergoing significant upgrades—were consumed by a blaze. A probe subsequently revealed that construction site netting installed on the buildings failed to meet flame retardant standards.

No fewer than 13 people have been detained on suspicion of suspected manslaughter, among them the directors of a contractor.

"Yes, it is a tragedy, it is a big fire. Reform is necessary. We have uncovered shortcomings in different stages. This is precisely the reason we must act seriously to ensure that all these gaps are addressed," he said.

Investigation and Aftermath

The fire—which spread quickly both upwards and from building to building—was only fully doused by Friday morning, some 40 hours after it started, and took more than 2,000 fire service personnel to contain.

That very day, officers commenced entry into the buildings to gather evidence. Officials state the inquiry could last several weeks.

Systemic Failures Identified

Several residents have reported they failed to hear a emergency siren when the fire erupted. Hong Kong's fire service discovered that warning systems in every tower were operating inadequately.

The relevant regulatory body has temporarily suspended construction activities on three dozen private developments.

Demands for Probe and Detentions

Additionally, officers took into custody a young man on allegations of subversion on Saturday. He was among a group demanding an autonomous investigation into the fire. An internet-based appeal amassed over 10,000 signatures in a very short time before its contents were wiped.

Another two individuals, including a former district councillor, were also taken in by authorities, according to news outlets.

Global Response

Amnesty International and The monitoring body have both denounced the alleged detentions.

"This is the occasion for the Hong Kong authorities to openly examine the causes of the catastrophic blaze...instead of muzzling those who pose valid inquiries," Amnesty International said.

Background and Resident Profile

The residential complex was built in 1983 and had offered 1,984 apartments for around 4,600 residents, per a 2021 government census.

Nearly 40% of its occupants are thought to be older than 65 years of age. Several have lived in the government-supported development from its inception.

The city's second-deadliest fire on file killed 176 people in 1948 and was caused by a blast on the lower level at a commercial building. The most deadly was at Happy Valley Racecourse in the early 1900s, when more than 600 attendees perished.