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The city's chief executive, John Lee, has mandated the establishment of an separate inquiry panel to investigate the cause of a catastrophic blaze that claimed the lives of 151 residents.

A Blaze of Unprecedented Scale

Last Wednesday, seven of eight residential blocks at the estate—that was in the midst of major refurbishment—were engulfed by fire. Investigators have since found that protective netting installed on the buildings failed to meet fire safety regulations.

A minimum of 13 suspects have been arrested for potential negligent homicide, including the executives of a building firm.

"This is indeed a tragedy, it is a major blaze. Reform is necessary. Failures have been detected in various phases. This is precisely the reason we must act seriously to make certain all these deficiencies are eliminated," stated the leader.

The Probe and Its Consequences

The inferno—that propagated rapidly both vertically and across the separate towers—was finally put out by the morning of Friday, around 40 hours after it began, and took over 2,000 fire service personnel to contain.

That very day, officers commenced entry into the buildings to collect forensic material. Authorities say the investigation could last several weeks.

Systemic Failures Identified

Multiple inhabitants have stated they did not hear a fire alarm when the incident broke out. Hong Kong's fire service determined that detection devices in every tower were not working effectively.

Hong Kong's buildings department has temporarily suspended works on numerous private sites.

Demands for Probe and Detentions

Separately, police reportedly detained a young man on allegations of subversion on the weekend. He was involved with a gathering calling for an separate review into the fire. An internet-based appeal gathered in excess of 10,000 endorsements in less than a day before its information was removed.

A pair of additional persons, including a past council member, were also detained by authorities, as reported by press accounts.

International Reaction

The rights group and The monitoring body have both condemned the reported arrests.

"Now is the time for the Hong Kong authorities to transparently investigate the causes of the tragic incident...rather than silencing those who raise appropriate concerns," Amnesty International said.

Background and Resident Profile

The housing estate was constructed in 1983 and had provided nearly two thousand flats for some 4,600 residents, based on a recent official survey.

Almost four in ten of its residents are thought to be at least 65 years of age. A number have lived in the subsidised housing estate since it was built.

Hong Kong's second-most fatal incident on record killed 176 individuals in the mid-20th century and was the result of 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.