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Hong Kong's chief executive, John Lee, has directed the formation of an independent committee to investigate the cause of a catastrophic blaze that claimed the lives of 151 individuals.

A Fire of Historic Proportions

This past Wednesday, seven of eight apartment buildings at the Wang Fuk Court—which had been undergoing extensive renovations—went up in flames. Investigators have since found that construction site netting surrounding the buildings did not comply with flame retardant standards.

No fewer than 13 suspects have been arrested for suspected manslaughter, comprising the directors of a construction company.

"It is a terrible tragedy, it is a big fire. Yes, we need reform. Failures have been detected in various phases. That is exactly why we must take decisive action to make certain all these deficiencies are eliminated," stated the leader.

The Probe and Its Consequences

The blaze—advancing with speed both upwards and across the separate towers—was finally put out by the end of the week, some 40 hours after it started, and necessitated more than 2,000 fire service personnel to bring under control.

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 stated they did not hear a fire alarm when the incident broke out. The city's fire department found that alarms in all eight blocks were not working effectively.

The relevant regulatory body has temporarily suspended construction activities on numerous private sites.

Calls for Inquiry and Arrests

In a related development, police reportedly detained a young man on suspicion of incitement on the weekend. He was involved with a group calling for an independent inquiry into the tragedy. An online petition collected more than 10,000 supporters in under 24 hours before its page was taken down.

A pair of additional persons, among them a ex-local representative, were also taken in by officers, per local media reports.

Global Response

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

"The moment has come for the Hong Kong authorities to openly examine the origins of the catastrophic blaze...instead of muzzling those who pose valid inquiries," remarked the group.

Background and Resident Profile

Wang Fuk Court was constructed in the early 1980s and had supplied close to 2,000 units for some 4,600 residents, per a recent official survey.

Nearly 40% of its residents are thought to be at least 65 years of age. Several have resided in the subsidised housing estate since its construction.

The city's second-deadliest fire on file killed 176 people in the mid-20th century and was triggered by a ground-floor explosion at a multi-story storage facility. The most deadly was at Happy Valley Racecourse in the early 1900s, when more than 600 individuals died.