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Hong Kong's chief executive, John Lee, has ordered the creation of an separate inquiry panel to investigate the cause of a catastrophic blaze that took a minimum of 151 residents.

A Blaze of Unprecedented Scale

Last Wednesday, seven of eight tower blocks at the Wang Fuk Court—which had been undergoing significant upgrades—went up in flames. Authorities later discovered that safety scaffolding mesh installed on the buildings failed to meet flame retardant standards.

No fewer than 13 suspects have been taken into custody over potential negligent homicide, comprising the executives of a construction company.

"Yes, it is a tragedy, it is a big fire. Yes, we need reform. We have uncovered shortcomings in different stages. That is exactly why we must respond rigorously to ensure that all these loopholes are addressed," stated the leader.

The Probe and Its Consequences

The blaze—that propagated rapidly both upwards and between the blocks—was not completely extinguished by Friday morning, around 40 hours after it ignited, and necessitated in excess of 2,000 fire service personnel to contain.

That very day, police began entering the buildings to gather evidence. Officials state the probe could last several weeks.

Systemic Failures Identified

Several residents have reported they were not alerted by a fire alarm when the incident started. Hong Kong's fire service found that alarms in all eight blocks were operating inadequately.

The relevant regulatory body has put on hold construction activities on three dozen private developments.

Calls for Inquiry and Arrests

Additionally, police reportedly detained a 24-year-old man on charges related to sedition on Saturday. He was involved with a gathering demanding an independent inquiry into the blaze. An online petition collected more than 10,000 supporters in a very short time before its page was taken down.

Two other people, including a former district councillor, were also detained by officers, per news outlets.

Global Response

The human rights organization and Another watchdog have both criticised the reported arrests.

"Now is the time for the Hong Kong authorities to transparently investigate the reasons of the catastrophic blaze...instead of suppressing those who raise appropriate concerns," stated the organization.

Background and Resident Profile

Wang Fuk Court was built in 1983 and had offered close to 2,000 units for some 4,600 inhabitants, per a 2021 government census.

Approximately 40 percent of its residents are thought to be older than 65 years of age. Several have lived in the subsidised housing estate since it was built.

Hong Kong's second-deadliest fire on in history killed 176 people in the mid-20th century and was caused by a ground-floor explosion at a multi-story storage facility. The deadliest was at Happy Valley Racecourse in 1918, when over 600 people died.