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Hong Kong's leader, John Lee, has directed the formation of an separate inquiry panel to probe the origins of a tragic inferno that took a minimum of 151 residents.

A Blaze of Unprecedented Scale

This past Wednesday, most of the apartment buildings at the estate—which had been undergoing major refurbishment—were consumed by a blaze. Authorities later discovered that construction site netting surrounding the buildings failed to meet requirements for fire resistance.

A minimum of 13 suspects have been taken into custody over suspected manslaughter, comprising the senior figures of a contractor.

"It is a terrible tragedy, it is a big fire. Changes are required. Yes, we have identified failures in multiple areas. Hence we must act seriously to guarantee all these gaps are eliminated," remarked Mr. Lee.

The Probe and Its Consequences

The fire—advancing with speed both vertically and from building to building—was only fully doused by Friday morning, some 40 hours after it ignited, and took more than 2,000 firefighters to subdue.

That very day, authorities started accessing the buildings to gather evidence. Authorities say the investigation could take three to four weeks.

Systemic Failures Identified

A number of occupants have reported they failed to hear a emergency siren when the fire erupted. The city's fire department found that detection devices in each building were not working effectively.

The relevant regulatory body has put on hold works on numerous private sites.

Demands for Probe and Detentions

Separately, police reportedly detained a 24-year-old man on suspicion of incitement on Saturday. He was involved with a group demanding an autonomous investigation into the tragedy. An internet-based appeal collected over 10,000 endorsements in less than a day before its contents were wiped.

Two other people, including a former district councillor, were also detained by police, as reported by news outlets.

Global Response

Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch have both denounced the alleged detentions.

"Now is the time for the city's officials to transparently investigate the reasons of the catastrophic blaze...as opposed to silencing those who pose valid inquiries," Amnesty International said.

Background and Resident Profile

The residential complex was completed in 1983 and had provided close to 2,000 units for some 4,600 occupants, per a 2021 government census.

Nearly 40% of its occupants are thought to be older than 65 years old. Several have resided in the subsidised housing estate from its inception.

Hong Kong's second-deadliest fire on in history claimed 176 people in 1948 and was the result of a ground-floor explosion at a commercial building. The deadliest was at a sporting venue in the early 1900s, when more than 600 people perished.