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The city's chief executive, John Lee, has ordered the creation of an autonomous task force to investigate the cause of a devastating fire that killed at least 151 individuals.

A Fire of Historic Proportions

Last Wednesday, seven of eight tower blocks at the Wang Fuk Court—which was subject to extensive renovations—were consumed by a blaze. Investigators have since found that protective netting installed on the buildings did not comply with flame retardant standards.

At least 13 suspects have been detained on suspicion of potential negligent homicide, comprising the senior figures of a building firm.

"This is indeed a tragedy, the fire was immense. Yes, we need reform. Failures have been detected in various phases. This is precisely the reason we must act seriously to guarantee all these deficiencies are eliminated," stated the leader.

Investigation and Aftermath

The fire—which spread quickly both upwards and between the blocks—was not completely extinguished by the morning of Friday, approximately two days after it began, and took over 2,000 fire service personnel to bring under control.

The same day, police began entering the buildings to collect forensic material. Officials state the inquiry could take approximately a month.

Shortcomings Uncovered

Multiple inhabitants have said they failed to hear a emergency siren when the fire erupted. Hong Kong's fire service discovered that detection devices in all eight blocks were malfunctioning.

Hong Kong's buildings department has put on hold construction activities on numerous private sites.

Calls for Inquiry and Arrests

Separately, authorities are said to have arrested a individual on suspicion of incitement on the weekend. He was involved with a group petitioning for an independent inquiry into the fire. An digital signature drive gathered over 10,000 supporters in a very short time before its information was removed.

Two other people, comprising a past council member, were also detained by officers, as reported by news outlets.

International Reaction

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

"This is the occasion for the city's officials to openly examine the origins of the catastrophic blaze...rather than muzzling those who raise appropriate concerns," stated the organization.

Background and Resident Profile

The residential complex was built in 1983 and had offered close to 2,000 units for approximately 4,600 residents, based on a population count.

Almost four in ten of its inhabitants are thought to be at least 65 years old. Some have lived in the subsidised housing estate since it was built.

The city's second-most fatal incident on file killed 176 individuals in the mid-20th century and was triggered by a ground-floor explosion at a multi-story storage facility. The deadliest was at Happy Valley Racecourse in 1918, when more than 600 attendees lost their lives.