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Hong Kong's chief executive, John Lee, has directed the formation of an separate inquiry panel to examine the reasons of a tragic inferno that claimed the lives of 151 people.

A Fire of Historic Proportions

This past Wednesday, seven of eight residential blocks at the housing complex—which was subject to major refurbishment—were consumed by a blaze. Authorities later discovered that safety scaffolding mesh used around the buildings failed to meet fire safety regulations.

A minimum of 13 people have been detained on suspicion of suspected manslaughter, among them the senior figures of a contractor.

"Yes, it is a tragedy, it is a major blaze. Yes, we need reform. Yes, we have identified failures in various phases. This is precisely the reason we must respond rigorously to make certain all these deficiencies are eliminated," remarked Mr. Lee.

Investigation and Aftermath

The fire—which spread quickly both vertically and between the blocks—was only fully doused by the end of the week, around 40 hours after it ignited, and took over 2,000 fire service personnel to contain.

That very day, police began entering the buildings to secure proof. The government indicates the probe could take approximately a month.

Shortcomings Uncovered

Multiple inhabitants have said they did not hear a fire alarm when the fire erupted. The city's fire department discovered that alarms in every tower were malfunctioning.

The city's construction authority has temporarily suspended renovation projects on three dozen private developments.

Calls for Inquiry and Arrests

Additionally, officers took into custody a individual on suspicion of incitement on the weekend. He was among a group petitioning for an independent inquiry into the tragedy. An online petition gathered over 10,000 endorsements in less than a day before its page was taken down.

Another two individuals, including a past council member, were also detained by authorities, according to local media reports.

Global Response

The human rights organization and Another watchdog have both denounced the reported arrests.

"The moment has come 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.

Background and Resident Profile

Wang Fuk Court was constructed in 1983 and had provided close to 2,000 units for approximately 4,600 occupants, according to a 2021 government census.

Approximately 40 percent of its inhabitants are thought to be older than 65 years of age. Some have lived in the government-supported development since it was built.

The city's second-worst blaze on record took 176 individuals in 1948 and was triggered by a detonation at street level at a five-storey warehouse. The worst was at a sporting venue in the early 1900s, when in excess of 600 attendees died.