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The city's chief executive, John Lee, has ordered the creation of an separate inquiry panel to examine the reasons of a devastating fire that claimed the lives of 151 residents.

A Fire of Historic Proportions

This past Wednesday, most of the apartment buildings at the Wang Fuk Court—which had been undergoing major refurbishment—went up in flames. Investigators have since found that protective netting installed on the buildings failed to meet fire safety regulations.

No fewer than 13 individuals have been arrested for alleged culpable homicide, including the executives of a contractor.

"This is indeed a tragedy, it is a big fire. Yes, we need reform. Failures have been detected in different stages. That is exactly why we must act seriously to ensure that all these deficiencies are plucked," he said.

Investigation and Aftermath

The inferno—advancing with speed both upwards and between the blocks—was not completely extinguished by the end of the week, around 40 hours after it began, and required more than 2,000 fire service personnel to contain.

That very day, officers commenced entry into the buildings to gather evidence. The government indicates the probe could take three to four weeks.

Systemic Failures Identified

Several residents have reported they failed to hear a fire alarm when the incident erupted. Local firefighters determined that alarms in each building were not working effectively.

The relevant regulatory body has halted for now renovation projects on three dozen private developments.

Calls for Inquiry and Arrests

In a related development, police reportedly detained a individual on allegations of sedition on the weekend. He was part of a gathering calling for an autonomous investigation into the fire. An online petition amassed more than 10,000 supporters in under 24 hours before its information was removed.

Two other people, among them a past council member, were also detained by police, per local media reports.

Global Response

The human rights organization 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...instead of suppressing those who raise appropriate concerns," stated the organization.

Background and Resident Profile

The residential complex was built in 1983 and had provided close to 2,000 units for around 4,600 occupants, according to a population count.

Almost four in ten of its occupants are believed to be over 65 years of age. Several have been occupants of the government-supported development from its inception.

The city's second-most fatal incident on file claimed 176 lives in 1948 and was triggered by a blast on the lower level at a commercial building. The most deadly was at Happy Valley Racecourse in 1918, when over 600 people died.