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

A Fire of Historic Proportions

Last Wednesday, seven of eight tower blocks at the estate—that was in the midst of extensive renovations—were engulfed by fire. Authorities later discovered that construction site netting surrounding the buildings failed to meet requirements for fire resistance.

At least 13 people have been taken into custody over suspected manslaughter, including the senior figures of a building firm.

"Yes, it is a tragedy, it is a major blaze. Yes, we need reform. Yes, we have identified failures in multiple areas. This is precisely the reason we must respond rigorously to make certain all these deficiencies are eliminated," stated the leader.

Investigation and Aftermath

The inferno—that propagated rapidly both vertically and across the separate towers—was finally put out by the end of the week, some 40 hours after it ignited, and necessitated in excess of 2,000 firefighters to contain.

On that day, authorities started accessing the buildings to gather evidence. Authorities say the investigation could require approximately a month.

Shortcomings Uncovered

Multiple inhabitants have said they were not alerted by a smoke detector when the fire started. The city's fire department discovered that alarms in each building were operating inadequately.

The city's construction authority has put on hold works on three dozen private developments.

Calls for Inquiry and Arrests

Separately, police reportedly detained a young man on charges related to subversion on the weekend. He was involved with a gathering calling for an separate review into the blaze. An digital signature drive amassed over 10,000 supporters in less than a day before its page was taken down.

Another two individuals, including a past council member, were also detained by police, according to press accounts.

Global Response

The human rights organization and Human Rights Watch have both denounced the said apprehensions.

"This is the occasion for the Hong Kong authorities to openly examine the origins of the devastating fire...rather than suppressing those who pose valid inquiries," stated the organization.

Background and Resident Profile

The residential complex was completed in 1983 and had supplied 1,984 apartments for approximately 4,600 occupants, based on a 2021 government census.

Nearly 40% of its occupants are estimated to be at least 65 years old. Some have lived in the subsidised housing estate from its inception.

Hong Kong's second-deadliest fire on record claimed 176 people in the mid-20th century and was the result of a ground-floor explosion at a commercial building. The worst was at a sporting venue in the early 1900s, when over 600 people died.