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Hong Kong's chief executive, John Lee, has ordered the creation of an autonomous task force to examine the reasons of a devastating fire that killed at least 151 people.

A Fire of Historic Proportions

Last Wednesday, most of the apartment buildings at the Wang Fuk Court—which was subject to extensive renovations—were engulfed by fire. Investigators have since found that safety scaffolding mesh used around the buildings failed to meet requirements for fire resistance.

No fewer than 13 people have been arrested for potential negligent homicide, among them the senior figures of a contractor.

"Yes, it is a tragedy, the fire was immense. Changes are required. We have uncovered shortcomings in multiple areas. This is precisely the reason we must act seriously to ensure that all these gaps are addressed," stated the leader.

Investigation and Aftermath

The fire—advancing with speed both vertically and from building to building—was only fully doused by the end of the week, approximately two days after it started, and took over 2,000 emergency responders to subdue.

On that day, police began entering the buildings to gather evidence. Authorities say the inquiry could take approximately a month.

Shortcomings Uncovered

Multiple inhabitants have said they did not hear a smoke detector when the blaze erupted. Local firefighters discovered that detection devices in every tower were not working effectively.

Hong Kong's buildings department has halted for now renovation projects on numerous private sites.

Calls for Inquiry and Arrests

Additionally, 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 tragedy. An digital signature drive gathered in excess of 10,000 signatures in less than a day before its information was removed.

A pair of additional persons, comprising a past council member, were also detained by authorities, as reported by news outlets.

Global Response

Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch have both criticised the alleged detentions.

"Now is the time for the Hong Kong authorities to thoroughly and publicly probe the origins of the catastrophic blaze...as opposed to silencing those who raise appropriate concerns," stated the organization.

Background and Resident Profile

Wang Fuk Court was built in 1983 and had provided 1,984 apartments for around 4,600 residents, according to a 2021 government census.

Almost four in ten of its occupants are thought to be at least 65 years old. A number have lived in the subsidised housing estate since its construction.

The city's second-worst blaze on record took 176 individuals in the mid-20th century and was caused by a detonation at street level at a commercial building. The deadliest was at a local racetrack in 1918, when over 600 people perished.