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Hong Kong's chief executive, John Lee, has ordered the creation of an autonomous task force to probe the origins of a catastrophic blaze that took a minimum of 151 individuals.

A Fire of Historic Proportions

This past Wednesday, the majority of the apartment buildings at the Wang Fuk Court—that was in the midst of extensive renovations—were consumed by a blaze. Investigators have since found that construction site netting surrounding the buildings failed to meet requirements for fire resistance.

At least 13 suspects have been taken into custody over potential negligent homicide, comprising the executives of a building firm.

"This is indeed a tragedy, it is a major blaze. Reform is necessary. Yes, we have identified failures in various phases. This is precisely the reason we must act seriously to ensure that all these gaps are eliminated," remarked Mr. Lee.

Investigation and Aftermath

The fire—advancing with speed both upwards and across the separate towers—was finally put out by the end of the week, some 40 hours after it started, and took more than 2,000 fire service personnel to contain.

The same day, officers commenced entry into the buildings to collect forensic material. The government indicates the investigation could take several weeks.

Systemic Failures Identified

Several residents have stated they did not hear a smoke detector when the incident erupted. The city's fire department found that warning systems in each building were malfunctioning.

The relevant regulatory body has put on hold construction activities on 30 private projects.

Demands for Probe and Detentions

Separately, police reportedly detained a 24-year-old man on allegations of sedition on the weekend. He was part of a gathering demanding an independent inquiry into the blaze. An online petition collected over 10,000 supporters in under 24 hours before its information was removed.

A pair of additional persons, including a past council member, were also questioned by authorities, as reported by local media reports.

International Reaction

The human rights organization and The monitoring body have both criticised the said apprehensions.

"Now is the time for the local government to thoroughly and publicly probe the causes of the tragic incident...rather than silencing those who pose valid inquiries," remarked the group.

Background and Resident Profile

The housing estate was built in 1983 and had offered close to 2,000 units for some 4,600 inhabitants, according to a 2021 government census.

Nearly 40% of its inhabitants are thought to be older than 65 years old. Several have lived in the public housing complex from its inception.

The city's second-most fatal incident on record claimed 176 people in 1948 and was caused by a ground-floor explosion at a commercial building. The most deadly was at a local racetrack in the early 1900s, when in excess of 600 people died.