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Hong Kong's chief executive, John Lee, has directed the formation of an independent committee to probe the origins of a tragic inferno that killed at least 151 people.

A Fire of Historic Proportions

On Wednesday last week, seven of eight apartment buildings at the estate—that was in the midst of major refurbishment—were engulfed by fire. A probe subsequently revealed that construction site netting installed on the buildings failed to meet requirements for fire resistance.

A minimum of 13 people have been arrested for potential negligent homicide, comprising the senior figures of a construction company.

"This is indeed a tragedy, it is a major blaze. Changes are required. We have uncovered shortcomings in multiple areas. This is precisely the reason we must take decisive action to make certain all these gaps are addressed," stated the leader.

Investigation and Aftermath

The blaze—that propagated rapidly both upwards and across the separate towers—was not completely extinguished by the morning of Friday, some 40 hours after it started, and took over 2,000 emergency responders to bring under control.

That very day, police began entering the buildings to collect forensic material. The government indicates the inquiry could take three to four weeks.

Shortcomings Uncovered

Several residents have said they were not alerted by a fire alarm when the fire erupted. The city's fire department discovered that detection devices in every tower were malfunctioning.

The relevant regulatory body has temporarily suspended works on three dozen private developments.

Calls for Inquiry and Arrests

Additionally, officers took into custody a young man on allegations of subversion on Saturday. He was involved with a gathering petitioning for an independent inquiry into the fire. An digital signature drive gathered over 10,000 supporters in less than a day before its contents were wiped.

Two other people, among them a past council member, were also taken in by authorities, as reported by local media reports.

Global Response

Amnesty International and Another watchdog have both condemned the reported arrests.

"The moment has come for the city's officials to openly examine the causes of the catastrophic blaze...instead of muzzling those who pose valid inquiries," stated the organization.

Historical Context and Demographics

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

Nearly 40% of its residents are thought to be at least 65 years old. Several have resided in the government-supported development from its inception.

Hong Kong's second-most fatal incident on file claimed 176 lives in the mid-20th century and was caused by a blast on the lower level at a commercial building. The deadliest was at a sporting venue in the early 1900s, when in excess of 600 individuals lost their lives.