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Hong Kong's chief executive, John Lee, has directed the formation of an autonomous task force to probe the origins of a devastating fire that took a minimum of 151 people.

A Blaze of Unprecedented Scale

This past Wednesday, seven of eight apartment buildings at the estate—which had been undergoing extensive renovations—were consumed by a blaze. Investigators have since found that construction site netting used around the buildings did not comply with requirements for fire resistance.

No fewer than 13 people have been arrested for suspected manslaughter, among them the directors of a building firm.

"It is a terrible tragedy, it is a major blaze. Yes, we need reform. We have uncovered shortcomings in various phases. That is exactly why we must act seriously to guarantee all these gaps are plucked," he said.

Investigation and Aftermath

The blaze—which spread quickly both upwards and from building to building—was only fully doused by the morning of Friday, some 40 hours after it started, and necessitated more than 2,000 emergency responders to subdue.

The same day, authorities started accessing the buildings to collect forensic material. Authorities say the inquiry could take approximately a month.

Shortcomings Uncovered

Multiple inhabitants have said they did not hear a smoke detector when the fire broke out. The city's fire department discovered that alarms in every tower were not working effectively.

The city's construction authority has halted for now works on three dozen private developments.

Demands for Probe and Detentions

Separately, authorities are said to have arrested a 24-year-old man on suspicion of subversion on the weekend. He was among a gathering petitioning for an independent inquiry into the tragedy. An digital signature drive gathered in excess of 10,000 endorsements in less than a day before its contents were wiped.

A pair of additional persons, including a past council member, were also detained by police, per press accounts.

Global Response

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

"This is the occasion for the local government to transparently investigate the origins of the tragic incident...as opposed to suppressing those who ask legitimate questions," stated the organization.

Background and Resident Profile

Wang Fuk Court was completed in 1983 and had offered close to 2,000 units for approximately 4,600 occupants, based on a 2021 government census.

Nearly 40% of its inhabitants are thought to be at least 65 years old. A number have been occupants of the government-supported development since it was built.

Hong Kong's second-worst blaze on record killed 176 lives in 1948 and was triggered by a ground-floor explosion at a multi-story storage facility. The worst was at a local racetrack in the early 1900s, when more than 600 individuals perished.