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Hong Kong's leader, John Lee, has ordered the creation of an separate inquiry panel to investigate the cause of a devastating fire that took a minimum of 151 individuals.

A Blaze of Unprecedented Scale

Last Wednesday, seven of eight apartment buildings at the housing complex—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.

At least 13 individuals have been detained on suspicion of alleged culpable homicide, among them the directors of a building firm.

"It is a terrible tragedy, it is a big fire. Reform is necessary. We have uncovered shortcomings in different stages. This is precisely the reason we must act seriously to make certain all these deficiencies are plucked," stated the leader.

The Probe and Its Consequences

The blaze—which spread quickly both upwards and between the blocks—was finally put out by Friday morning, some 40 hours after it ignited, and necessitated in excess of 2,000 fire service personnel to bring under control.

On that day, authorities started accessing the buildings to collect forensic material. The government indicates the investigation could last approximately a month.

Systemic Failures Identified

Multiple inhabitants have stated they failed to hear a smoke detector when the fire erupted. The city's fire department found that warning systems in all eight blocks were not working effectively.

The relevant regulatory body has halted for now works on three dozen private developments.

Calls for Inquiry and Arrests

Separately, officers took into custody a 24-year-old man on charges related to sedition on the weekend. He was involved with a collective petitioning for an separate review into the blaze. An internet-based appeal amassed more than 10,000 signatures in less than a day before its information was removed.

A pair of additional persons, including a ex-local representative, were also taken in by authorities, according to news outlets.

International Reaction

The rights group and Another watchdog have both condemned the reported arrests.

"Now is the time for the Hong Kong authorities to transparently investigate the causes of the catastrophic blaze...as opposed to silencing those who raise appropriate concerns," stated the organization.

Background and Resident Profile

The residential complex was completed in the early 1980s and had offered close to 2,000 units for around 4,600 residents, per a recent official survey.

Approximately 40 percent of its occupants are believed to be at least 65 years of age. Some have lived in the government-supported development from its inception.

The city's second-most fatal incident on record killed 176 lives in 1948 and was the result of a ground-floor explosion at a five-storey warehouse. The worst was at Happy Valley Racecourse in the early 1900s, when more than 600 individuals lost their lives.