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Hong Kong's chief executive, John Lee, has ordered the creation of an autonomous task force to examine the reasons of a devastating fire that claimed the lives of 151 residents.

A Fire of Historic Proportions

On Wednesday last week, the majority of the apartment buildings at the estate—which had been undergoing major refurbishment—went up in flames. A probe subsequently revealed that protective netting used around the buildings fell short of fire safety regulations.

At least 13 people have been taken into custody over alleged culpable homicide, among them the senior figures of a building firm.

"Yes, it is a tragedy, the fire was immense. Reform is necessary. Failures have been detected in various phases. This is precisely the reason we must respond rigorously to guarantee all these loopholes are addressed," he said.

The Probe and Its Consequences

The inferno—which spread quickly both upwards and across the separate towers—was not completely extinguished by the morning of Friday, some 40 hours after it started, and necessitated in excess of 2,000 fire service personnel to contain.

On that day, police began entering the buildings to collect forensic material. Officials state the inquiry could take approximately a month.

Shortcomings Uncovered

A number of occupants have reported they were not alerted by a smoke detector when the incident broke out. Local firefighters discovered that alarms in all eight blocks were operating inadequately.

The city's construction authority has put on hold construction activities on three dozen private developments.

Demands for Probe and Detentions

In a related development, police reportedly detained a individual on charges related to subversion on the weekend. He was involved with a gathering demanding an autonomous investigation into the fire. An digital signature drive amassed in excess of 10,000 endorsements in a very short time before its page was taken down.

Two other people, among them a former district councillor, were also taken in by police, according to news outlets.

International Reaction

The rights group and Another watchdog have both condemned the reported arrests.

"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 ask legitimate questions," remarked the group.

Background and Resident Profile

The housing estate was built in the early 1980s and had provided 1,984 apartments for around 4,600 residents, per a 2021 government census.

Almost four in ten of its occupants are estimated to be older than 65 years of age. Some have lived in the public housing complex since it was built.

Hong Kong's second-deadliest fire on in history took 176 people in 1948 and was the result of a ground-floor explosion at a multi-story storage facility. The worst was at a sporting venue in the early 1900s, when in excess of 600 attendees died.