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The city's chief executive, John Lee, has ordered the creation of an independent committee to probe the origins of a catastrophic blaze that claimed the lives of 151 residents.

A Fire of Historic Proportions

This past Wednesday, seven of eight residential blocks at the estate—which had been undergoing extensive renovations—were engulfed by fire. Investigators have since found that safety scaffolding mesh used around the buildings failed to meet fire safety regulations.

At least 13 people have been arrested for suspected manslaughter, including the directors of a contractor.

"Yes, it is a tragedy, it is a major blaze. Yes, we need reform. We have uncovered shortcomings in different stages. Hence we must take decisive action to make certain all these deficiencies are eliminated," remarked Mr. Lee.

Investigation and Aftermath

The blaze—that propagated rapidly both upwards and between the blocks—was only fully doused by the morning of Friday, approximately two days after it started, and necessitated more than 2,000 emergency responders to contain.

That very day, authorities started accessing the buildings to collect forensic material. Officials state the inquiry could last several weeks.

Systemic Failures Identified

A number of occupants have said they did not hear a fire alarm when the incident started. Hong Kong's fire service discovered that warning systems in each building were not working effectively.

The city's construction authority has temporarily suspended renovation projects on numerous private sites.

Calls for Inquiry and Arrests

In a related development, officers took into custody a individual on suspicion of sedition on the weekend. He was involved with a group petitioning for an independent inquiry into the tragedy. An online petition collected in excess of 10,000 signatures in less than a day before its contents were wiped.

A pair of additional persons, including a ex-local representative, were also questioned by police, as reported by local media reports.

Global Response

The rights group and Human Rights Watch have both condemned the reported arrests.

"The moment has come for the city's officials to transparently investigate the causes of the catastrophic blaze...rather than silencing those who ask legitimate questions," Amnesty International said.

Historical Context and Demographics

Wang Fuk Court was completed in 1983 and had supplied close to 2,000 units for approximately 4,600 occupants, per a recent official survey.

Almost four in ten of its inhabitants are thought to be at least 65 years of age. Some have resided in the government-supported development since its construction.

The city's second-deadliest fire on in history killed 176 lives in the mid-20th century and was the result of a detonation at street level at a commercial building. The deadliest was at Happy Valley Racecourse in 1918, when more than 600 people perished.