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Hong Kong's chief executive, John Lee, has mandated the establishment of an separate inquiry panel to examine the reasons of a catastrophic blaze that took a minimum of 151 people.

A Blaze of Unprecedented Scale

On Wednesday last week, most of the tower blocks at the estate—that was in the midst of significant upgrades—were consumed by a blaze. Authorities later discovered that construction site netting used around the buildings did not comply with requirements for fire resistance.

No fewer than 13 people have been taken into custody over suspected manslaughter, including the directors of a building firm.

"This is indeed a tragedy, the fire was immense. Reform is necessary. Failures have been detected in different stages. That is exactly why we must act seriously to ensure that all these loopholes are eliminated," he said.

The Probe and Its Consequences

The inferno—which spread quickly both vertically and from building to building—was not completely extinguished by Friday morning, approximately two days after it ignited, and required more than 2,000 emergency responders to bring under control.

That very day, police began entering the buildings to gather evidence. The government indicates the inquiry could last several weeks.

Shortcomings Uncovered

A number of occupants have stated they were not alerted by a fire alarm when the blaze broke out. Hong Kong's fire service discovered that warning systems in each building were malfunctioning.

The relevant regulatory body has halted for now construction activities on numerous private sites.

Calls for Inquiry and Arrests

In a related development, authorities are said to have arrested a young man on charges related to subversion on Saturday. He was involved with a group demanding an separate review into the blaze. An digital signature drive collected over 10,000 endorsements in less than a day before its contents were wiped.

Another two individuals, including a past council member, were also detained by officers, 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 local government to transparently investigate the origins of the devastating fire...as opposed to muzzling those who raise appropriate concerns," remarked the group.

Background and Resident Profile

Wang Fuk Court was constructed in the early 1980s and had supplied close to 2,000 units for around 4,600 inhabitants, based on a 2021 government census.

Nearly 40% of its occupants are thought to be older than 65 years of age. A number have been occupants of the public housing complex from its inception.

The city's second-most fatal incident on in history killed 176 lives in the mid-20th century and was triggered by a ground-floor explosion at a five-storey warehouse. The deadliest was at a sporting venue in 1918, when in excess of 600 individuals died.