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The city's chief executive, John Lee, has directed the formation of an separate inquiry panel to probe the origins of a catastrophic blaze that claimed the lives of 151 people.

A Blaze of Unprecedented Scale

Last Wednesday, seven of eight tower blocks at the Wang Fuk Court—which was subject to major refurbishment—were engulfed by fire. Authorities later discovered that safety scaffolding mesh used around the buildings fell short of fire safety regulations.

No fewer than 13 suspects have been taken into custody over alleged culpable homicide, comprising the senior figures of a building firm.

"It is a terrible tragedy, it is a big fire. Yes, we need reform. Failures have been detected in various phases. Hence we must act seriously to ensure that all these loopholes are eliminated," remarked Mr. Lee.

The Probe and Its Consequences

The blaze—advancing with speed both upwards and between the blocks—was only fully doused by Friday morning, some 40 hours after it began, and took in excess of 2,000 emergency responders to contain.

On that day, authorities started accessing the buildings to gather evidence. Officials state the inquiry could take several weeks.

Shortcomings Uncovered

Multiple inhabitants have reported they did not hear a fire alarm when the blaze started. The city's fire department found that detection devices in each building were malfunctioning.

The relevant regulatory body has put on hold works on three dozen private developments.

Demands for Probe and Detentions

In a related development, police reportedly detained a young man on suspicion of sedition on the weekend. He was involved with a group calling for an separate review into the tragedy. An internet-based appeal gathered over 10,000 supporters in under 24 hours before its contents were wiped.

A pair of additional persons, comprising a past council member, were also questioned by officers, per local media reports.

Global Response

Amnesty International and The monitoring body have both criticised the alleged detentions.

"This is the occasion for the local government to openly examine the reasons of the tragic incident...as opposed to suppressing those who pose valid inquiries," Amnesty International said.

Historical Context and Demographics

Wang Fuk Court was built in 1983 and had offered 1,984 apartments for around 4,600 inhabitants, based on a 2021 government census.

Approximately 40 percent of its occupants are thought to be at least 65 years old. Several have resided in the public housing complex from its inception.

Hong Kong's second-deadliest fire on record claimed 176 individuals in 1948 and was triggered by a blast on the lower level at a multi-story storage facility. The worst was at Happy Valley Racecourse in 1918, when more than 600 individuals perished.