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Hong Kong's leader, John Lee, has mandated the establishment of an autonomous task force to investigate the cause of a devastating fire that killed at least 151 residents.

A Blaze of Unprecedented Scale

On Wednesday last week, seven of eight tower blocks at the estate—which had been undergoing significant upgrades—went up in flames. Authorities later discovered that construction site netting installed on the buildings did not comply with flame retardant standards.

A minimum of 13 individuals have been detained on suspicion of suspected manslaughter, comprising the senior figures of a building firm.

"Yes, it is a tragedy, it is a big fire. Changes are required. Failures have been detected in multiple areas. That is exactly why we must take decisive action to ensure that all these gaps are eliminated," remarked Mr. Lee.

The Probe and Its Consequences

The blaze—that propagated rapidly both upwards and across the separate towers—was not completely extinguished by the end of the week, around 40 hours after it ignited, and took over 2,000 emergency responders to contain.

The same day, officers commenced entry into the buildings to gather evidence. Authorities say the inquiry could take several weeks.

Shortcomings Uncovered

A number of occupants have said they did not hear a fire alarm when the incident started. The city's fire department determined that warning systems in all eight blocks were not working effectively.

Hong Kong's buildings department has halted for now construction activities on 30 private projects.

Demands for Probe and Detentions

Separately, police reportedly detained a young man on allegations of subversion on the weekend. He was part of a collective calling for an independent inquiry into the tragedy. An internet-based appeal gathered in excess of 10,000 signatures in under 24 hours before its contents were wiped.

Two other people, including a past council member, were also taken in by officers, as reported by press accounts.

International Reaction

The rights group and Human Rights Watch have both denounced the said apprehensions.

"The moment has come for the city's officials to transparently investigate the origins of the devastating fire...rather than suppressing those who pose valid inquiries," Amnesty International said.

Background and Resident Profile

Wang Fuk Court was completed in the early 1980s and had offered close to 2,000 units for some 4,600 inhabitants, per a 2021 government census.

Nearly 40% of its occupants are thought to be older than 65 years of age. Several have resided in the public housing complex from its inception.

Hong Kong's second-most fatal incident on in history killed 176 people in the mid-20th century and was caused by a blast on the lower level at a commercial building. The most deadly was at Happy Valley Racecourse in 1918, when over 600 attendees died.