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The city's chief executive, John Lee, has mandated the establishment of an independent committee to probe the origins of a tragic inferno that killed at least 151 people.

A Blaze of Unprecedented Scale

This past Wednesday, most of the apartment buildings at the Wang Fuk Court—that was in the midst of significant upgrades—went up in flames. Authorities later discovered that protective netting surrounding the buildings fell short of fire safety regulations.

A minimum of 13 individuals have been detained on suspicion of potential negligent homicide, among them the senior figures of a construction company.

"Yes, it is a tragedy, it is a major blaze. Changes are required. Failures have been detected in different stages. That is exactly why we must act seriously to make certain all these loopholes are eliminated," remarked Mr. Lee.

The Probe and Its Consequences

The blaze—advancing with speed both vertically and between the blocks—was only fully doused by the morning of Friday, some 40 hours after it began, and necessitated over 2,000 emergency responders to subdue.

The same day, police began entering the buildings to collect forensic material. Authorities say the investigation could take approximately a month.

Systemic Failures Identified

Several residents have reported they did not hear a emergency siren when the fire broke out. Hong Kong's fire service determined that alarms in all eight blocks were not working effectively.

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

Calls for Inquiry and Arrests

Additionally, authorities are said to have arrested a individual on allegations of sedition on Saturday. He was involved with a group demanding an independent inquiry into the fire. An digital signature drive collected over 10,000 signatures in less than a day before its page was taken down.

Another two individuals, comprising a past council member, were also questioned by police, as reported by press accounts.

International Reaction

The rights group and Human Rights Watch have both criticised the said apprehensions.

"The moment has come for the local government to openly examine the causes of the catastrophic blaze...instead of silencing those who ask legitimate questions," stated the organization.

Historical Context and Demographics

The housing estate was built in 1983 and had provided close to 2,000 units for some 4,600 inhabitants, based on a population count.

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

The city's second-most fatal incident on record claimed 176 individuals in 1948 and was the result of a ground-floor explosion at a commercial building. The most deadly was at a local racetrack in 1918, when more than 600 attendees lost their lives.