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The city's chief executive, John Lee, has ordered the creation of an separate inquiry panel to probe the origins of a devastating fire that took a minimum of 151 individuals.

A Blaze of Unprecedented Scale

This past Wednesday, the majority of the apartment buildings at the Wang Fuk Court—which had been undergoing major refurbishment—were engulfed by fire. A probe subsequently revealed that construction site netting used around the buildings fell short of flame retardant standards.

A minimum of 13 individuals have been detained on suspicion of suspected manslaughter, comprising the directors of a construction company.

"Yes, it is a tragedy, the fire was immense. Yes, we need reform. Failures have been detected in different stages. That is exactly why we must act seriously to guarantee all these deficiencies are eliminated," remarked Mr. Lee.

Investigation and Aftermath

The blaze—which spread quickly both vertically and between the blocks—was only fully doused by the end of the week, around 40 hours after it ignited, and required over 2,000 firefighters to contain.

That very day, authorities started accessing the buildings to secure proof. Officials state the probe could require approximately a month.

Systemic Failures Identified

Multiple inhabitants have stated they failed to hear a smoke detector when the incident broke out. Hong Kong's fire service found that warning systems in every tower were operating inadequately.

Hong Kong's buildings department has temporarily suspended works on numerous private sites.

Calls for Inquiry and Arrests

Separately, officers took into custody a young man on suspicion of sedition on Saturday. He was part of a group calling for an separate review into the blaze. An internet-based appeal collected over 10,000 endorsements in a very short time before its information was removed.

Another two individuals, including a former district councillor, were also questioned by authorities, according to news outlets.

International Reaction

Amnesty International and The monitoring body have both criticised the said apprehensions.

"The moment has come for the city's officials to openly examine the causes of the catastrophic blaze...instead of suppressing those who pose valid inquiries," Amnesty International said.

Background and Resident Profile

The housing estate was completed in 1983 and had supplied nearly two thousand flats for around 4,600 residents, based on a 2021 government census.

Almost four in ten of its residents are thought to be at least 65 years of age. Some have lived in the public housing complex since its construction.

Hong Kong's second-worst blaze on file claimed 176 people in the mid-20th century and was the result of a blast on the lower level at a five-storey warehouse. The worst was at Happy Valley Racecourse in the early 1900s, when over 600 people died.