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Hong Kong's leader, John Lee, has mandated the establishment of an independent committee to probe the origins of a catastrophic blaze that took a minimum of 151 individuals.

A Fire of Historic Proportions

This past Wednesday, most of the residential blocks at the Wang Fuk Court—that was in the midst of extensive renovations—were consumed by a blaze. A probe subsequently revealed that safety scaffolding mesh used around the buildings failed to meet requirements for fire resistance.

No fewer than 13 people have been arrested for suspected manslaughter, comprising the senior figures of a building firm.

"Yes, it is a tragedy, the fire was immense. Reform is necessary. Yes, we have identified failures in different stages. This is precisely the reason we must act seriously to ensure that all these loopholes are plucked," remarked Mr. Lee.

Investigation and Aftermath

The fire—that propagated rapidly both upwards and between the blocks—was only fully doused by Friday morning, approximately two days after it ignited, and took more than 2,000 emergency responders to contain.

On that day, officers commenced entry into the buildings to secure proof. Authorities say the probe could last approximately a month.

Shortcomings Uncovered

Several residents have reported they failed to hear a emergency siren when the blaze broke out. Hong Kong's fire service determined that alarms in all eight blocks were malfunctioning.

Hong Kong's buildings department has put on hold works on numerous private sites.

Demands for Probe and Detentions

In a related development, authorities are said to have arrested a 24-year-old man on charges related to sedition on Saturday. He was among a collective demanding an independent inquiry into the fire. An digital signature drive gathered over 10,000 signatures in a very short time before its information was removed.

Another two individuals, including a former district councillor, were also detained by police, per local media reports.

International Reaction

Amnesty International and Another watchdog have both criticised the reported arrests.

"The moment has come for the Hong Kong authorities to thoroughly and publicly probe the reasons of the tragic incident...as opposed to silencing those who raise appropriate concerns," stated the organization.

Background and Resident Profile

The housing estate was completed in the early 1980s and had supplied close to 2,000 units for around 4,600 inhabitants, according to a population count.

Nearly 40% of its residents are thought to be over 65 years of age. Some have lived in the subsidised housing estate since it was built.

The city's second-worst blaze on file killed 176 people in the mid-20th century and was the result of a blast on the lower level at a multi-story storage facility. The worst was at a sporting venue in 1918, when over 600 people perished.