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Hong Kong's chief executive, John Lee, has mandated the establishment of an independent committee to investigate the cause of a tragic inferno that claimed the lives of 151 individuals.

A Blaze of Unprecedented Scale

This past Wednesday, most of the residential blocks at the housing complex—which had been undergoing significant upgrades—were engulfed by fire. Investigators have since found that construction site netting used around the buildings fell short of fire safety regulations.

A minimum of 13 individuals have been detained on suspicion of alleged culpable homicide, among them the executives of a construction company.

"This is indeed a tragedy, it is a big fire. Changes are required. We have uncovered shortcomings in various phases. This is precisely the reason we must act seriously to guarantee all these gaps are plucked," stated the leader.

The Probe and Its Consequences

The blaze—advancing with speed both vertically and from building to building—was not completely extinguished by the end of the week, approximately two days after it started, and necessitated more than 2,000 fire service personnel to contain.

On that day, authorities started accessing the buildings to collect forensic material. Officials state the investigation could require several weeks.

Shortcomings Uncovered

Multiple inhabitants have reported they were not alerted by a fire alarm when the incident broke out. Hong Kong's fire service determined that detection devices in all eight blocks were operating inadequately.

The relevant regulatory body has temporarily suspended construction activities on numerous private sites.

Demands for Probe and Detentions

In a related development, police reportedly detained a individual on charges related to sedition on Saturday. He was among a collective calling for an autonomous investigation into the fire. An online petition collected more than 10,000 signatures in a very short time before its page was taken down.

Two other people, including a past council member, were also taken in by police, as reported by news outlets.

International Reaction

The human rights organization and The monitoring body have both denounced the alleged detentions.

"The moment has come for the city's officials to transparently investigate the causes of the devastating fire...rather than silencing those who ask legitimate questions," remarked the group.

Background and Resident Profile

The housing estate was completed in 1983 and had provided close to 2,000 units for approximately 4,600 residents, per a population count.

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

The city's second-worst blaze on record took 176 people in the mid-20th century and was the result of a ground-floor explosion at a five-storey warehouse. The deadliest was at a sporting venue in the early 1900s, when in excess of 600 individuals died.