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Hong Kong's leader, John Lee, has ordered the creation of an independent committee to investigate the cause of a tragic inferno that killed at least 151 residents.

A Fire of Historic Proportions

This past Wednesday, seven of eight tower blocks at the Wang Fuk Court—which was subject to major refurbishment—were engulfed by fire. Authorities later discovered that construction site netting surrounding the buildings failed to meet fire safety regulations.

A minimum of 13 people have been taken into custody over potential negligent homicide, including the executives of a construction company.

"This is indeed a tragedy, the fire was immense. Reform is necessary. We have uncovered shortcomings in various phases. That is exactly why we must respond rigorously to ensure that all these deficiencies are eliminated," stated the leader.

The Probe and Its Consequences

The blaze—advancing with speed both vertically and across the separate towers—was not completely extinguished by the morning of Friday, around 40 hours after it ignited, and took more than 2,000 fire service personnel to subdue.

That very day, police began entering the buildings to secure proof. Authorities say the probe could require three to four weeks.

Systemic Failures Identified

A number of occupants have stated they were not alerted by a smoke detector when the fire erupted. Local firefighters discovered that warning systems in every tower were malfunctioning.

Hong Kong's buildings department has put on hold renovation projects on 30 private projects.

Demands for Probe and Detentions

Additionally, officers took into custody a 24-year-old man on charges related to subversion on the weekend. He was among a gathering demanding an independent inquiry into the fire. An internet-based appeal collected more than 10,000 signatures in less than a day before its contents were wiped.

Another two individuals, including a former district councillor, were also detained by officers, as reported by press accounts.

Global Response

The rights group and The monitoring body have both denounced the reported arrests.

"Now is the time for the city's officials to openly examine the causes of the devastating fire...as opposed to muzzling those who ask legitimate questions," Amnesty International said.

Background and Resident Profile

Wang Fuk Court was built in the early 1980s and had offered close to 2,000 units for some 4,600 residents, per a population count.

Almost four in ten of its occupants are thought to be older than 65 years old. Several have resided in the government-supported development from its inception.

Hong Kong's second-deadliest fire on record took 176 individuals in the mid-20th century and was caused by a ground-floor explosion at a five-storey warehouse. The worst was at a local racetrack in 1918, when more than 600 individuals lost their lives.