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Hong Kong's leader, John Lee, has directed the formation of an independent committee to examine the reasons of a tragic inferno that took a minimum of 151 residents.

A Fire of Historic Proportions

This past Wednesday, seven of eight residential blocks at the Wang Fuk Court—which was subject to major refurbishment—were consumed by a blaze. A probe subsequently revealed that protective netting used around the buildings failed to meet flame retardant standards.

A minimum of 13 people have been detained on suspicion of suspected manslaughter, among them the directors of a construction company.

"It is a terrible tragedy, the fire was immense. Reform is necessary. Yes, we have identified failures in various phases. Hence we must act seriously to make certain all these deficiencies are plucked," he said.

Investigation and Aftermath

The blaze—which spread quickly both upwards and from building to building—was only fully doused by Friday morning, some 40 hours after it started, and necessitated over 2,000 firefighters to subdue.

That very day, authorities started accessing the buildings to collect forensic material. Officials state the probe could last approximately a month.

Shortcomings Uncovered

Several residents have stated they were not alerted by a smoke detector when the incident started. Local firefighters found that alarms in each building were not working effectively.

The relevant regulatory body has temporarily suspended renovation projects on 30 private projects.

Demands for Probe and Detentions

Additionally, police reportedly detained a individual on charges related to subversion on the weekend. He was part of a gathering calling for an autonomous investigation into the tragedy. An digital signature drive gathered more than 10,000 signatures in under 24 hours before its information was removed.

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

Global Response

The human rights organization and Human Rights Watch have both condemned the said apprehensions.

"The moment has come for the Hong Kong authorities to transparently investigate the causes of the catastrophic blaze...instead of suppressing those who ask legitimate questions," stated the organization.

Background and Resident Profile

Wang Fuk Court was built in the early 1980s and had supplied 1,984 apartments for around 4,600 inhabitants, according to a 2021 government census.

Approximately 40 percent of its residents are estimated to be over 65 years old. Some have been occupants of the government-supported development from its inception.

Hong Kong's second-most fatal incident on in history claimed 176 lives in 1948 and was caused by a detonation at street level at a five-storey warehouse. The most deadly was at a local racetrack in the early 1900s, when over 600 individuals perished.