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Hong Kong's chief executive, John Lee, has ordered the creation of an independent committee to examine the reasons of a devastating fire that killed at least 151 people.

A Fire of Historic Proportions

On Wednesday last week, most of the residential blocks at the Wang Fuk Court—that was in the midst of significant upgrades—were engulfed by fire. A probe subsequently revealed that construction site netting surrounding the buildings did not comply with fire safety regulations.

At least 13 suspects have been taken into custody over alleged culpable homicide, among them the senior figures of a construction company.

"Yes, it is a tragedy, it is a major blaze. Reform is necessary. We have uncovered shortcomings in various phases. That is exactly why we must take decisive action to guarantee all these deficiencies are plucked," remarked Mr. Lee.

The Probe and Its Consequences

The fire—that propagated rapidly both vertically and between the blocks—was not completely extinguished by the end of the week, some 40 hours after it started, and required more than 2,000 emergency responders to bring under control.

That very day, police began entering the buildings to secure proof. Authorities say the inquiry could last three to four weeks.

Systemic Failures Identified

Multiple inhabitants have said they failed to hear a smoke detector when the incident erupted. Hong Kong's fire service found that warning systems in each building were malfunctioning.

The city's construction authority has temporarily suspended works on three dozen private developments.

Calls for Inquiry and Arrests

Additionally, police reportedly detained a young man on allegations of subversion on Saturday. He was among a gathering calling for an separate review into the blaze. An digital signature drive gathered more than 10,000 endorsements in a very short time before its information was removed.

Two other people, among them a former district councillor, were also detained by authorities, as reported by news outlets.

International Reaction

The human rights organization and Another watchdog have both criticised the alleged detentions.

"Now is the time for the Hong Kong authorities to thoroughly and publicly probe the causes of the catastrophic blaze...as opposed to suppressing those who pose valid inquiries," Amnesty International said.

Historical Context and Demographics

The housing estate was built in the early 1980s and had supplied nearly two thousand flats for some 4,600 residents, according to a population count.

Nearly 40% of its residents are believed to be at least 65 years old. A number have lived in the government-supported development from its inception.

The city's second-most fatal incident on in history killed 176 lives in the mid-20th century and was triggered by a blast on the lower level at a multi-story storage facility. The deadliest was at a local racetrack in the early 1900s, when in excess of 600 individuals died.