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Hong Kong's chief executive, John Lee, has mandated the establishment 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

This past Wednesday, seven of eight tower blocks at the housing complex—which had been undergoing major refurbishment—were engulfed by fire. A probe subsequently revealed that construction site netting surrounding the buildings fell short of flame retardant standards.

At least 13 people have been detained on suspicion of suspected manslaughter, comprising the senior figures of a construction company.

"This is indeed a tragedy, the fire was immense. Yes, we need reform. We have uncovered shortcomings in different stages. Hence we must act seriously to ensure that all these loopholes are eliminated," he said.

Investigation and Aftermath

The blaze—which spread quickly both upwards and across the separate towers—was only fully doused by Friday morning, around 40 hours after it started, and required in excess of 2,000 fire service personnel to contain.

The same day, police began entering the buildings to collect forensic material. The government indicates the inquiry could take three to four weeks.

Shortcomings Uncovered

A number of occupants have reported they did not hear a emergency siren when the blaze erupted. The city's fire department discovered that detection devices in every tower were not working effectively.

Hong Kong's buildings department has halted for now renovation projects on three dozen private developments.

Demands for Probe and Detentions

In a related development, officers took into custody a young man on charges related to sedition on Saturday. He was among a group petitioning for an separate review into the fire. An online petition gathered more than 10,000 supporters in a very short time before its contents were wiped.

Two other people, comprising a past council member, were also questioned by authorities, as reported by news outlets.

Global Response

The rights group and The monitoring body have both denounced the reported arrests.

"This is the occasion for the city's officials to thoroughly and publicly probe the origins of the tragic incident...instead of suppressing those who ask legitimate questions," stated the organization.

Historical Context and Demographics

The housing estate was completed in 1983 and had offered 1,984 apartments for around 4,600 residents, per a 2021 government census.

Almost four in ten of its inhabitants are thought to be at least 65 years old. A number have resided in the public housing complex since its construction.

Hong Kong's second-most fatal incident on file took 176 lives in the mid-20th century and was the result of a detonation at street level at a commercial building. The deadliest was at a sporting venue in 1918, when more than 600 people died.