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The city's chief executive, John Lee, has directed the formation of an independent committee to probe the origins of a tragic inferno that took a minimum of 151 people.

A Blaze of Unprecedented Scale

Last Wednesday, the majority of the apartment buildings at the housing complex—that was in the midst of major refurbishment—went up in flames. Investigators have since found that construction site netting installed on the buildings fell short of fire safety regulations.

No fewer than 13 individuals have been arrested for alleged culpable homicide, comprising the senior figures of a contractor.

"Yes, it is a tragedy, it is a major blaze. Yes, we need reform. Failures have been detected in different stages. That is exactly why we must take decisive action to ensure that all these deficiencies are addressed," he said.

The Probe and Its Consequences

The fire—advancing with speed both vertically and between the blocks—was not completely extinguished by the morning of Friday, around 40 hours after it started, and took more than 2,000 firefighters to subdue.

That very day, authorities started accessing the buildings to collect forensic material. Officials state the probe could require approximately a month.

Systemic Failures Identified

A number of occupants have reported they failed to hear a fire alarm when the blaze erupted. Local firefighters discovered that alarms in all eight blocks were not working effectively.

The relevant regulatory body has put on hold construction activities on three dozen private developments.

Demands for Probe and Detentions

In a related development, officers took into custody a 24-year-old man on suspicion of subversion on Saturday. He was among a gathering calling for an autonomous investigation into the blaze. An online petition amassed over 10,000 signatures in less than a day before its information was removed.

Two other people, comprising a ex-local representative, were also detained by officers, as reported by press accounts.

International Reaction

The human rights organization and Another watchdog have both denounced the said apprehensions.

"Now is the time for the local government to openly examine the reasons of the tragic incident...as opposed to muzzling those who ask legitimate questions," remarked the group.

Background and Resident Profile

The residential complex was completed in 1983 and had provided nearly two thousand flats for some 4,600 occupants, according to a 2021 government census.

Almost four in ten of its residents are thought to be over 65 years old. Some have resided in the public housing complex from its inception.

The city's second-most fatal incident on record killed 176 individuals in the mid-20th century and was caused by a blast on the lower level at a commercial building. The worst was at Happy Valley Racecourse in the early 1900s, when in excess of 600 attendees died.