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The city's chief executive, John Lee, has ordered the creation of an independent committee to examine the reasons of a tragic inferno that killed at least 151 people.

A Fire of Historic Proportions

This past Wednesday, most of the apartment buildings at the Wang Fuk Court—which was subject to extensive renovations—went up in flames. A probe subsequently revealed that protective netting used around the buildings fell short of requirements for fire resistance.

No fewer than 13 suspects have been taken into custody over suspected manslaughter, among them the senior figures of a building firm.

"It is a terrible tragedy, it is a major blaze. Changes are required. Failures have been detected in various phases. This is precisely the reason we must act seriously to make certain all these gaps are addressed," he said.

Investigation and Aftermath

The blaze—that propagated rapidly both upwards and between the blocks—was finally put out by the end of the week, some 40 hours after it started, and required over 2,000 firefighters to contain.

That very day, police began entering the buildings to gather evidence. Authorities say the inquiry could take three to four weeks.

Shortcomings Uncovered

Multiple inhabitants have reported they did not hear a fire alarm when the fire started. The city's fire department found that warning systems in each building were not working effectively.

The city's construction authority has put on hold works on numerous private sites.

Demands for Probe and Detentions

Additionally, officers took into custody a 24-year-old man on allegations of sedition on the weekend. He was involved with a group calling for an independent inquiry into the fire. An online petition gathered over 10,000 signatures in under 24 hours before its information was removed.

Two other people, including a past council member, were also questioned by police, per press accounts.

International Reaction

The rights group and The monitoring body have both denounced the said apprehensions.

"This is the occasion for the city's officials to thoroughly and publicly probe the reasons of the catastrophic blaze...rather than silencing those who ask legitimate questions," Amnesty International said.

Background and Resident Profile

The housing estate was completed in 1983 and had provided 1,984 apartments for approximately 4,600 occupants, according to a 2021 government census.

Approximately 40 percent of its inhabitants are believed to be older than 65 years of age. Some have lived in the public housing complex from its inception.

Hong Kong's second-worst blaze on record claimed 176 lives in the mid-20th century and was the result of a blast on the lower level at a commercial building. The most deadly was at Happy Valley Racecourse in the early 1900s, when over 600 attendees died.