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Hong Kong's leader, John Lee, has directed the formation of an separate inquiry panel to investigate the cause of a catastrophic blaze that killed at least 151 residents.

A Blaze of Unprecedented Scale

Last Wednesday, most of the apartment buildings at the estate—which had been undergoing significant upgrades—were engulfed by fire. Authorities later discovered that construction site netting installed on the buildings did not comply with fire safety regulations.

No fewer than 13 suspects have been taken into custody over suspected manslaughter, comprising the executives of a construction company.

"It is a terrible tragedy, it is a big fire. Changes are required. Failures have been detected in different stages. This is precisely the reason we must respond rigorously to ensure that all these loopholes are eliminated," he said.

Investigation and Aftermath

The inferno—advancing with speed both vertically and from building to building—was only fully doused by the morning of Friday, some 40 hours after it ignited, and took in excess of 2,000 firefighters to subdue.

That very day, officers commenced entry into the buildings to gather evidence. The government indicates the probe could take three to four weeks.

Systemic Failures Identified

A number of occupants have reported they failed to hear a fire alarm when the blaze started. Local firefighters discovered that warning systems in all eight blocks were operating inadequately.

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

Calls for Inquiry and Arrests

Separately, authorities are said to have arrested a young man on suspicion of subversion on Saturday. He was among a collective demanding an autonomous investigation into the tragedy. An online petition collected more than 10,000 supporters in under 24 hours before its page was taken down.

Another two individuals, including a former district councillor, were also detained by authorities, as reported by press accounts.

Global Response

The human rights organization and Human Rights Watch have both denounced the alleged detentions.

"Now is the time for the city's officials to openly examine the reasons of the tragic incident...as opposed to muzzling those who raise appropriate concerns," remarked the group.

Historical Context and Demographics

Wang Fuk Court was built in 1983 and had supplied 1,984 apartments for some 4,600 occupants, per a population count.

Almost four in ten of its occupants are believed to be at least 65 years of age. A number have resided in the subsidised housing estate since it was built.

The city's second-deadliest fire on record claimed 176 lives in 1948 and was triggered by a detonation at street level at a multi-story storage facility. The most deadly was at a sporting venue in the early 1900s, when in excess of 600 attendees lost their lives.