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The city's leader, John Lee, has ordered the creation of an autonomous task force to examine the reasons of a devastating fire that killed at least 151 residents.

A Blaze of Unprecedented Scale

On Wednesday last week, seven of eight tower blocks at the housing complex—which had been undergoing significant upgrades—were engulfed by fire. A probe subsequently revealed that safety scaffolding mesh used around the buildings fell short of requirements for fire resistance.

At least 13 suspects have been detained on suspicion of suspected manslaughter, among them the executives of a contractor.

"It is a terrible tragedy, it is a big fire. Reform is necessary. Yes, we have identified failures in different stages. That is exactly why we must act seriously to ensure that all these deficiencies are eliminated," he said.

Investigation and Aftermath

The inferno—that propagated rapidly both upwards and between the blocks—was not completely extinguished by the morning of Friday, around 40 hours after it ignited, and necessitated more than 2,000 emergency responders to subdue.

The same day, police began entering the buildings to gather evidence. Officials state the inquiry could require three to four weeks.

Shortcomings Uncovered

Multiple inhabitants have reported they were not alerted by a smoke detector when the fire started. Local firefighters determined that detection devices in every tower were not working effectively.

Hong Kong's buildings department has temporarily suspended construction activities on 30 private projects.

Calls for Inquiry and Arrests

In a related development, officers took into custody a individual on allegations of subversion on the weekend. He was among a gathering petitioning for an autonomous investigation into the tragedy. An digital signature drive gathered in excess of 10,000 supporters in less than a day before its information was removed.

Another two individuals, among them a former district councillor, were also questioned by police, as reported by local media reports.

International Reaction

Amnesty International and The monitoring body have both criticised the said apprehensions.

"Now is the time for the city's officials to transparently investigate the causes of the devastating fire...as opposed to suppressing those who ask legitimate questions," stated the organization.

Background and Resident Profile

The housing estate was completed in the early 1980s and had supplied 1,984 apartments for approximately 4,600 occupants, per a recent official survey.

Almost four in ten of its occupants are estimated to be at least 65 years of age. A number have resided in the public housing complex since its construction.

Hong Kong's second-worst blaze on file claimed 176 people in 1948 and was triggered by a blast on the lower level at a five-storey warehouse. The most deadly was at a sporting venue in 1918, when over 600 attendees died.