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The city's chief executive, John Lee, has directed the formation of an independent committee to probe the origins of a devastating fire that claimed the lives of 151 people.

A Blaze of Unprecedented Scale

This past Wednesday, most of the apartment buildings at the Wang Fuk Court—which had been undergoing extensive renovations—went up in flames. Investigators have since found that safety scaffolding mesh installed on the buildings fell short of fire safety regulations.

A minimum of 13 individuals have been taken into custody over suspected manslaughter, comprising the senior figures of a building firm.

"Yes, it is a tragedy, the fire was immense. Yes, we need reform. Failures have been detected in various phases. Hence we must take decisive action to ensure that all these loopholes are eliminated," stated the leader.

Investigation and Aftermath

The inferno—that propagated rapidly both upwards and from building to building—was finally put out by Friday morning, around 40 hours after it began, and required more than 2,000 fire service personnel to subdue.

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

Systemic Failures Identified

A number of occupants have reported they failed to hear a emergency siren when the fire erupted. Local firefighters found that alarms in all eight blocks were operating inadequately.

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

Calls for Inquiry and Arrests

In a related development, police reportedly detained a 24-year-old man on suspicion of incitement on Saturday. He was among a gathering petitioning for an autonomous investigation into the blaze. An internet-based appeal amassed more than 10,000 supporters in less than a day before its contents were wiped.

A pair of additional persons, among them a ex-local representative, were also questioned by police, per local media reports.

Global Response

The human rights organization and Another watchdog have both denounced the alleged detentions.

"This is the occasion for the Hong Kong authorities to openly examine the origins of the tragic incident...as opposed to muzzling those who pose valid inquiries," stated the organization.

Background and Resident Profile

The housing estate was completed in the early 1980s and had supplied 1,984 apartments for around 4,600 inhabitants, based on a population count.

Approximately 40 percent of its inhabitants are estimated to be at least 65 years of age. Several have resided in the public housing complex since it was built.

Hong Kong's second-deadliest fire on record killed 176 people in 1948 and was triggered by a detonation at street level at a multi-story storage facility. The worst was at Happy Valley Racecourse in the early 1900s, when more than 600 attendees perished.