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Hong Kong's chief executive, John Lee, has mandated the establishment of an separate inquiry panel to investigate the cause of a devastating fire that claimed the lives of 151 individuals.

A Blaze of Unprecedented Scale

On Wednesday last week, seven of eight apartment buildings at the estate—which had been undergoing significant upgrades—were consumed by a blaze. Authorities later discovered that construction site netting used around the buildings did not comply with requirements for fire resistance.

A minimum of 13 suspects have been taken into custody over suspected manslaughter, comprising the executives of a building firm.

"Yes, it is a tragedy, it is a major blaze. Yes, we need reform. Yes, we have identified failures in multiple areas. Hence we must take decisive action to guarantee all these deficiencies are addressed," remarked Mr. Lee.

Investigation and Aftermath

The fire—that propagated rapidly both upwards and from building to building—was finally put out by the end of the week, some 40 hours after it started, and necessitated in excess of 2,000 firefighters to contain.

That very day, authorities started accessing the buildings to secure proof. Officials state the probe could take approximately a month.

Systemic Failures Identified

A number of occupants have reported they failed to hear a emergency siren when the blaze erupted. Hong Kong's fire service discovered that detection devices in all eight blocks were malfunctioning.

Hong Kong's buildings department has halted for now works on 30 private projects.

Demands for Probe and Detentions

Additionally, authorities are said to have arrested a 24-year-old man on suspicion of subversion on Saturday. He was part of a collective calling for an autonomous investigation into the blaze. An online petition gathered more than 10,000 signatures in under 24 hours before its page was taken down.

A pair of additional persons, among them a past council member, were also questioned by authorities, as reported by news outlets.

Global Response

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

"Now is the time for the city's officials to openly examine the origins of the catastrophic blaze...instead of muzzling those who raise appropriate concerns," remarked the group.

Background and Resident Profile

Wang Fuk Court was constructed in 1983 and had offered 1,984 apartments for some 4,600 inhabitants, based on a recent official survey.

Approximately 40 percent of its occupants are believed to be at least 65 years old. A number have lived in the subsidised housing estate since its construction.

Hong Kong's second-deadliest fire on in history claimed 176 lives in 1948 and was the result of a blast on the lower level at a multi-story storage facility. The worst was at Happy Valley Racecourse in the early 1900s, when more than 600 people lost their lives.