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Hong Kong's chief executive, John Lee, has directed the formation of an autonomous task force to examine the reasons of a catastrophic blaze that took a minimum of 151 residents.

A Blaze of Unprecedented Scale

On Wednesday last week, most of the tower blocks at the housing complex—that was in the midst of significant upgrades—went up in flames. Authorities later discovered that construction site netting used around the buildings fell short of fire safety regulations.

A minimum of 13 people have been arrested for alleged culpable homicide, comprising the directors of a building firm.

"Yes, it is a tragedy, it is a big fire. Yes, we need reform. Failures have been detected in various phases. Hence we must take decisive action to ensure that all these deficiencies are eliminated," he said.

The Probe and Its Consequences

The inferno—which spread quickly both vertically and across the separate towers—was only fully doused by Friday morning, some 40 hours after it ignited, and required over 2,000 emergency responders to subdue.

On that day, police began entering the buildings to gather evidence. Officials state the inquiry could require approximately a month.

Shortcomings Uncovered

Multiple inhabitants have stated they were not alerted by a fire alarm when the blaze broke out. Local firefighters found that alarms in all eight blocks were not working effectively.

The city's construction authority has temporarily suspended construction activities on numerous private sites.

Demands for Probe and Detentions

Additionally, authorities are said to have arrested a individual on charges related to incitement on Saturday. He was part of a collective calling for an autonomous investigation into the fire. An internet-based appeal gathered in excess of 10,000 endorsements in less than a day before its page was taken down.

A pair of additional persons, including a past council member, were also detained by police, as reported by news outlets.

International Reaction

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

"Now is the time for the Hong Kong authorities to openly examine the causes of the devastating fire...rather than suppressing those who raise appropriate concerns," Amnesty International said.

Historical Context and Demographics

Wang Fuk Court was built in 1983 and had provided nearly two thousand flats for some 4,600 residents, according to a 2021 government census.

Approximately 40 percent of its inhabitants are believed to be older than 65 years of age. Some have lived in the subsidised housing estate from its inception.

The city's second-deadliest fire on record killed 176 lives in the mid-20th century and was triggered by a detonation at street level at a five-storey warehouse. The worst was at a local racetrack in 1918, when in excess of 600 people lost their lives.