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The city's leader, John Lee, has mandated the establishment of an independent committee to probe the origins of a devastating fire that claimed the lives of 151 people.

A Fire of Historic Proportions

This past Wednesday, the majority of the apartment buildings at the housing complex—that was in the midst of significant upgrades—were consumed by a blaze. Investigators have since found that protective netting surrounding the buildings fell short of requirements for fire resistance.

A minimum of 13 suspects have been detained on suspicion of potential negligent homicide, among them the directors of a construction company.

"This is indeed a tragedy, the fire was immense. Reform is necessary. Failures have been detected in various phases. Hence we must take decisive action to guarantee all these gaps are eliminated," stated the leader.

The Probe and Its Consequences

The fire—which spread quickly both vertically and across the separate towers—was only fully doused by Friday morning, approximately two days after it ignited, and necessitated in excess of 2,000 fire service personnel to subdue.

The same day, authorities started accessing the buildings to secure proof. Authorities say the probe could require three to four weeks.

Shortcomings Uncovered

Multiple inhabitants have said they failed to hear a fire alarm when the fire erupted. The city's fire department discovered that alarms in each building were not working effectively.

Hong Kong's buildings department has temporarily suspended renovation projects on 30 private projects.

Demands for Probe and Detentions

Additionally, police reportedly detained a 24-year-old man on allegations of subversion on the weekend. He was among a collective demanding an independent inquiry into the fire. An online petition collected over 10,000 endorsements in less than a day before its information was removed.

Another two individuals, including a ex-local representative, were also taken in by officers, according to press accounts.

Global Response

The human rights organization and Another watchdog have both criticised the reported arrests.

"Now is the time for the Hong Kong authorities to openly examine the reasons of the tragic incident...as opposed to muzzling those who raise appropriate concerns," stated the organization.

Historical Context and Demographics

The housing estate was built in the early 1980s and had provided nearly two thousand flats for approximately 4,600 occupants, according to a recent official survey.

Almost four in ten of its residents are thought to be older than 65 years of age. A number have lived in the subsidised housing estate from its inception.

The city's second-deadliest fire on record killed 176 individuals in 1948 and was caused by a blast on the lower level at a five-storey warehouse. The deadliest was at a local racetrack in 1918, when more than 600 people perished.