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Hong Kong's leader, John Lee, has ordered the creation of an independent committee to probe the origins of a catastrophic blaze that killed at least 151 residents.

A Blaze of Unprecedented Scale

This past Wednesday, most of the tower blocks at the Wang Fuk Court—which was subject to significant upgrades—were engulfed by fire. Investigators have since found that construction site netting surrounding the buildings did not comply with requirements for fire resistance.

At least 13 people have been arrested for alleged culpable homicide, including the executives of a contractor.

"Yes, it is a tragedy, the fire was immense. Yes, we need reform. Yes, we have identified failures in different stages. Hence we must act seriously to guarantee all these gaps are plucked," he said.

The Probe and Its Consequences

The inferno—which spread quickly both upwards and across the separate towers—was only fully doused by the morning of Friday, some 40 hours after it started, and took more than 2,000 emergency responders to contain.

On that day, officers commenced entry into the buildings to collect forensic material. Authorities say the investigation could last three to four weeks.

Systemic Failures Identified

Multiple inhabitants have reported they were not alerted by a fire alarm when the fire erupted. Local firefighters found that alarms in every tower were operating inadequately.

The city's construction authority has temporarily suspended works on 30 private projects.

Demands for Probe and Detentions

Separately, police reportedly detained a young man on charges related to sedition on Saturday. He was among a collective calling for an autonomous investigation into the blaze. An internet-based appeal amassed over 10,000 supporters in less than a day before its contents were wiped.

Two other people, including a former district councillor, were also questioned by authorities, per local media reports.

International Reaction

The rights group and Another watchdog have both condemned the alleged detentions.

"The moment has come for the city's officials to thoroughly and publicly probe the origins of the devastating fire...rather than muzzling those who pose valid inquiries," remarked the group.

Background and Resident Profile

Wang Fuk Court was constructed in the early 1980s and had provided 1,984 apartments for around 4,600 inhabitants, per a population count.

Nearly 40% of its residents are believed to be older than 65 years of age. Some have been occupants of the government-supported development since it was built.

Hong Kong's second-most fatal incident on record killed 176 lives in 1948 and was caused by a detonation at street level at a five-storey warehouse. The most deadly was at Happy Valley Racecourse in 1918, when in excess of 600 people lost their lives.