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Hong Kong's chief executive, John Lee, has directed the formation of an independent committee to investigate the cause of a tragic inferno that took a minimum of 151 individuals.

A Fire of Historic Proportions

Last Wednesday, most of the apartment buildings at the Wang Fuk Court—that was in the midst of extensive renovations—were engulfed by fire. Authorities later discovered that protective netting installed on the buildings fell short of flame retardant standards.

No fewer than 13 suspects have been detained on suspicion of potential negligent homicide, among them the executives of a construction company.

"Yes, it is a tragedy, the fire was immense. Changes are required. Failures have been detected in various phases. That is exactly why we must take decisive action to ensure that all these deficiencies are addressed," he said.

The Probe and Its Consequences

The fire—which spread quickly both upwards and from building to building—was only fully doused by Friday morning, around 40 hours after it ignited, and took over 2,000 firefighters to subdue.

On that day, officers commenced entry into the buildings to secure proof. Authorities say the inquiry could take several weeks.

Shortcomings Uncovered

A number of occupants have reported they were not alerted by a emergency siren when the fire erupted. The city's fire department determined that warning systems in every tower were not working effectively.

The relevant regulatory body has put on hold works on 30 private projects.

Calls for Inquiry and Arrests

Separately, officers took into custody a young man on charges related to sedition on Saturday. He was involved with a collective petitioning for an autonomous investigation into the blaze. An internet-based appeal collected more than 10,000 supporters in a very short time before its information was removed.

Two other people, including a past council member, were also questioned by authorities, per press accounts.

International Reaction

The rights group and The monitoring body have both condemned the alleged detentions.

"This is the occasion for the Hong Kong authorities to openly examine the reasons of the catastrophic blaze...as opposed to silencing those who pose valid inquiries," stated the organization.

Historical Context and Demographics

Wang Fuk Court was constructed in the early 1980s and had provided close to 2,000 units for around 4,600 inhabitants, per a 2021 government census.

Approximately 40 percent of its inhabitants are estimated to be over 65 years old. A number have been occupants of the public housing complex since its construction.

Hong Kong's second-most fatal incident on file took 176 people in 1948 and was the result of a blast on the lower level at a multi-story storage facility. The worst was at a sporting venue in the early 1900s, when over 600 people perished.