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The city's leader, John Lee, has directed the formation of an autonomous task force to probe the origins of a devastating fire that claimed the lives of 151 residents.

A Blaze of Unprecedented Scale

Last Wednesday, seven of eight tower blocks at the Wang Fuk Court—that was in the midst of major refurbishment—were consumed by a blaze. A probe subsequently revealed that safety scaffolding mesh installed on the buildings did not comply with flame retardant standards.

At least 13 individuals have been taken into custody over potential negligent homicide, comprising the executives of a construction company.

"This is indeed a tragedy, it is a major blaze. Yes, we need reform. Failures have been detected in multiple areas. That is exactly why we must take decisive action to make certain all these deficiencies are eliminated," stated the leader.

The Probe and Its Consequences

The blaze—which spread quickly both upwards and from building to building—was not completely extinguished by the end of the week, 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 gather evidence. Authorities say the probe could take approximately a month.

Systemic Failures Identified

Multiple inhabitants have said they were not alerted by a smoke detector when the fire broke out. Hong Kong's fire service discovered that detection devices in each building were malfunctioning.

Hong Kong's buildings department has temporarily suspended works on numerous private sites.

Calls for Inquiry and Arrests

Separately, police reportedly detained a individual on charges related to subversion on Saturday. He was part of a gathering calling for an separate review into the tragedy. An internet-based appeal amassed more than 10,000 endorsements in less than a day before its contents were wiped.

Another two individuals, comprising a former district councillor, were also detained by police, according to news outlets.

International Reaction

Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch have both criticised the reported arrests.

"Now is the time for the local government to transparently investigate the origins of the devastating fire...instead of suppressing those who pose valid inquiries," Amnesty International said.

Historical Context and Demographics

The housing estate was constructed in 1983 and had provided close to 2,000 units for approximately 4,600 residents, per a population count.

Approximately 40 percent of its occupants are thought to be older than 65 years old. Several have been occupants of the public housing complex from its inception.

The city's second-worst blaze on file claimed 176 lives in 1948 and was triggered by a blast on the lower level at a multi-story storage facility. The worst was at a local racetrack in 1918, when over 600 attendees perished.