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Hong Kong's chief executive, John Lee, has directed the formation of an separate inquiry panel to probe the origins of a devastating fire that claimed the lives of 151 residents.

A Fire of Historic Proportions

This past Wednesday, most of the tower blocks at the Wang Fuk Court—which had been undergoing extensive renovations—went up in flames. Investigators have since found that construction site netting surrounding the buildings fell short of requirements for fire resistance.

No fewer than 13 people have been detained on suspicion of suspected manslaughter, including the directors of a building firm.

"It is a terrible tragedy, it is a major blaze. Yes, we need reform. We have uncovered shortcomings in multiple areas. This is precisely the reason we must take decisive action to guarantee all these loopholes are addressed," remarked Mr. Lee.

Investigation and Aftermath

The blaze—advancing with speed both vertically and from building to building—was only fully doused by Friday morning, around 40 hours after it ignited, and required in excess of 2,000 firefighters to bring under control.

The same day, authorities started accessing the buildings to gather evidence. The government indicates the inquiry could take three to four weeks.

Shortcomings Uncovered

Multiple inhabitants have reported they were not alerted by a emergency siren when the incident started. Hong Kong's fire service determined that alarms in each building were operating inadequately.

The city's construction authority has halted for now construction activities on numerous private sites.

Demands for Probe and Detentions

Separately, authorities are said to have arrested a young man on allegations of sedition on Saturday. He was part of a collective calling for an independent inquiry into the fire. An online petition gathered over 10,000 signatures in a very short time before its contents were wiped.

Another two individuals, comprising a former district councillor, were also taken in by authorities, according to press accounts.

International Reaction

The human rights organization and Another watchdog have both condemned the said apprehensions.

"Now is the time for the local government to thoroughly and publicly probe the causes of the tragic incident...as opposed to muzzling those who raise appropriate concerns," Amnesty International said.

Background and Resident Profile

The residential complex was completed in 1983 and had provided 1,984 apartments for around 4,600 residents, per a 2021 government census.

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

The city's second-deadliest fire on in history took 176 people in the mid-20th century and was triggered by a ground-floor explosion at a multi-story storage facility. The most deadly was at a sporting venue in 1918, when in excess of 600 attendees died.