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Hong Kong's chief executive, John Lee, has directed the formation of an separate inquiry panel to probe the origins of a catastrophic blaze that killed at least 151 residents.

A Fire of Historic Proportions

This past Wednesday, the majority of the residential blocks at the housing complex—which had been undergoing major refurbishment—went up in flames. Authorities later discovered that protective netting used around the buildings did not comply with requirements for fire resistance.

At least 13 people have been arrested for alleged culpable homicide, including the executives of a contractor.

"It is a terrible tragedy, it is a big fire. Reform is necessary. We have uncovered shortcomings in multiple areas. This is precisely the reason we must take decisive action to make certain all these loopholes are eliminated," stated the leader.

The Probe and Its Consequences

The fire—that propagated rapidly both vertically and from building to building—was only fully doused by the end of the week, some 40 hours after it began, and took over 2,000 firefighters to bring under control.

The same day, officers commenced entry into the buildings to gather evidence. Authorities say the investigation could require three to four weeks.

Systemic Failures Identified

A number of occupants have said they failed to hear a emergency siren when the incident started. Local firefighters determined that detection devices in each building were malfunctioning.

The relevant regulatory body has put on hold renovation projects on numerous private sites.

Calls for Inquiry and Arrests

Separately, police reportedly detained a young man on allegations of subversion on Saturday. He was part of a collective petitioning for an separate review into the blaze. An online petition collected more than 10,000 signatures in less than a day before its information was removed.

A pair of additional persons, among them a former district councillor, were also detained by authorities, per local media reports.

International Reaction

Amnesty International and Another watchdog have both condemned the reported arrests.

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

Historical Context and Demographics

The residential complex was constructed in 1983 and had offered close to 2,000 units for approximately 4,600 inhabitants, according to a 2021 government census.

Nearly 40% of its residents are believed to be older than 65 years old. Several have lived in the subsidised housing estate since its construction.

The city's second-most fatal incident on in history claimed 176 individuals in the mid-20th century and was triggered by a blast on the lower level at a multi-story storage facility. The worst was at a sporting venue in the early 1900s, when over 600 individuals died.