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The city's leader, John Lee, has ordered the creation of an independent committee to investigate the cause of a devastating fire that took a minimum of 151 individuals.

A Fire of Historic Proportions

Last Wednesday, seven of eight apartment buildings at the housing complex—which had been undergoing significant upgrades—went up in flames. Authorities later discovered that safety scaffolding mesh installed on the buildings did not comply with fire safety regulations.

A minimum of 13 people have been taken into custody over alleged culpable homicide, including the directors of a contractor.

"This is indeed a tragedy, it is a major blaze. Changes are required. Yes, we have identified failures in multiple areas. That is exactly why we must act seriously to guarantee all these loopholes are eliminated," he said.

The Probe and Its Consequences

The inferno—that propagated rapidly both vertically and between the blocks—was finally put out by Friday morning, approximately two days after it began, and necessitated in excess of 2,000 firefighters to bring under control.

On that day, police began entering the buildings to secure proof. Officials state the inquiry could take several weeks.

Systemic Failures Identified

Multiple inhabitants have reported they did not hear a smoke detector when the blaze started. Local firefighters found that detection devices in each building were malfunctioning.

Hong Kong's buildings department has halted for now renovation projects on 30 private projects.

Demands for Probe and Detentions

Additionally, officers took into custody a individual on suspicion of incitement on the weekend. He was among a group demanding an independent inquiry into the blaze. An digital signature drive collected more than 10,000 supporters in a very short time before its page was taken down.

Two other people, comprising a former district councillor, were also detained by police, as reported by local media reports.

Global Response

The rights group and Human Rights Watch have both condemned the reported arrests.

"Now is the time for the local government to transparently investigate the causes of the tragic incident...instead of suppressing those who pose valid inquiries," Amnesty International said.

Historical Context and Demographics

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

Approximately 40 percent of its occupants are thought to be at least 65 years old. A number have resided in the public housing complex since its construction.

Hong Kong's second-worst blaze on record killed 176 lives in the mid-20th century and was triggered by a ground-floor explosion at a multi-story storage facility. The most deadly was at a local racetrack in 1918, when more than 600 people perished.