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The city's chief executive, John Lee, has directed the formation of an autonomous task force to investigate the cause of a devastating fire that took a minimum of 151 people.

A Blaze of Unprecedented Scale

This past Wednesday, the majority of the apartment buildings at the Wang Fuk Court—that was in the midst of major refurbishment—were engulfed by fire. Investigators have since found that protective netting used around the buildings failed to meet requirements for fire resistance.

At least 13 people have been arrested for suspected manslaughter, among them the senior figures of a building firm.

"It is a terrible tragedy, the fire was immense. Reform is necessary. Failures have been detected in multiple areas. Hence we must respond rigorously to guarantee all these deficiencies are plucked," he said.

The Probe and Its Consequences

The blaze—which spread quickly both upwards and between the blocks—was only fully doused by the end of the week, approximately two days after it began, and took over 2,000 firefighters to bring under control.

The same day, officers commenced entry into the buildings to gather evidence. The government indicates the investigation could last three to four weeks.

Shortcomings Uncovered

A number of occupants have stated they were not alerted by a emergency siren when the incident started. Local firefighters discovered that alarms in every tower were not working effectively.

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

Demands for Probe and Detentions

In a related development, authorities are said to have arrested a young man on allegations of incitement on the weekend. He was part of a collective petitioning for an autonomous investigation into the fire. An online petition collected in excess of 10,000 supporters in a very short time before its information was removed.

Another two individuals, comprising a ex-local representative, were also detained by officers, as reported by press accounts.

Global Response

Amnesty International and Another watchdog have both denounced the alleged detentions.

"Now is the time for the Hong Kong authorities to transparently investigate the reasons of the catastrophic blaze...instead of suppressing those who pose valid inquiries," stated the organization.

Historical Context and Demographics

The housing estate was completed in 1983 and had offered nearly two thousand flats for around 4,600 occupants, according to a 2021 government census.

Almost four in ten of its residents are believed to be older than 65 years old. A number have been occupants of the subsidised housing estate from its inception.

Hong Kong's second-most fatal incident on file claimed 176 individuals in the mid-20th century and was triggered by a ground-floor explosion at a five-storey warehouse. The most deadly was at a sporting venue in the early 1900s, when over 600 individuals perished.