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Hong Kong's chief executive, John Lee, has mandated the establishment of an autonomous task force to examine the reasons of a catastrophic blaze that took a minimum of 151 residents.

A Fire of Historic Proportions

Last Wednesday, the majority of the apartment buildings at the estate—which had been undergoing major refurbishment—went up in flames. Investigators have since found that construction site netting surrounding the buildings fell short of flame retardant standards.

No fewer than 13 individuals have been taken into custody over suspected manslaughter, including the senior figures of a contractor.

"Yes, it is a tragedy, it is a big fire. Reform is necessary. Failures have been detected in various phases. That is exactly why we must respond rigorously to make certain all these gaps are eliminated," stated the leader.

The Probe and Its Consequences

The fire—advancing with speed both vertically and across the separate towers—was not completely extinguished by the morning of Friday, some 40 hours after it ignited, and necessitated more than 2,000 firefighters to contain.

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

Shortcomings Uncovered

Multiple inhabitants have reported they failed to hear a smoke detector when the blaze erupted. The city's fire department determined that detection devices in each building were operating inadequately.

The city's construction authority has temporarily suspended works on three dozen private developments.

Calls for Inquiry and Arrests

In a related development, officers took into custody a 24-year-old man on suspicion of subversion on Saturday. He was involved with a group demanding an independent inquiry into the blaze. An online petition amassed more than 10,000 endorsements in less than a day before its information was removed.

A pair of additional persons, comprising a past council member, were also detained by officers, as reported by local media reports.

International Reaction

Amnesty International and Another watchdog have both denounced the alleged detentions.

"This is the occasion for the city's officials to thoroughly and publicly probe the reasons of the catastrophic blaze...as opposed to muzzling those who raise appropriate concerns," remarked the group.

Background and Resident Profile

Wang Fuk Court was built in 1983 and had provided close to 2,000 units for around 4,600 residents, per a recent official survey.

Nearly 40% of its residents are estimated to be over 65 years of age. A number have been occupants of the subsidised housing estate from its inception.

Hong Kong's second-deadliest fire on record took 176 people in 1948 and was triggered by a ground-floor explosion at a commercial building. The worst was at Happy Valley Racecourse in 1918, when more than 600 people perished.