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The city's leader, John Lee, has mandated the establishment of an autonomous task force to probe the origins of a catastrophic blaze that killed at least 151 individuals.

A Blaze of Unprecedented Scale

Last Wednesday, seven of eight apartment buildings at the estate—that was in the midst of significant upgrades—went up in flames. A probe subsequently revealed that safety scaffolding mesh used around the buildings failed to meet requirements for fire resistance.

A minimum of 13 people have been taken into custody over suspected manslaughter, comprising the executives of a building firm.

"Yes, it is a tragedy, it is a major blaze. Reform is necessary. Failures have been detected in different stages. Hence we must take decisive action to guarantee all these gaps are eliminated," stated the leader.

Investigation and Aftermath

The blaze—which spread quickly both upwards and between the blocks—was only fully doused by Friday morning, some 40 hours after it began, and required over 2,000 emergency responders to bring under control.

That very day, police began entering the buildings to secure proof. The government indicates the probe could take three to four weeks.

Systemic Failures Identified

Multiple inhabitants have stated they failed to hear a emergency siren when the blaze erupted. Hong Kong's fire service discovered that warning systems in all eight blocks were not working effectively.

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

Demands for Probe and Detentions

In a related development, authorities are said to have arrested a individual on charges related to subversion on Saturday. He was part of a gathering petitioning for an independent inquiry into the fire. An online petition amassed in excess of 10,000 supporters in under 24 hours before its page was taken down.

A pair of additional persons, including a former district councillor, were also detained by officers, according to local media reports.

International Reaction

The human rights organization and Another watchdog have both denounced the said apprehensions.

"The moment has come for the Hong Kong authorities to transparently investigate the reasons of the tragic incident...as opposed to suppressing those who raise appropriate concerns," Amnesty International said.

Historical Context and Demographics

Wang Fuk Court was built in the early 1980s and had offered 1,984 apartments for some 4,600 residents, per a 2021 government census.

Almost four in ten of its residents are believed to be at least 65 years old. A number have been occupants of the government-supported development since its construction.

The city's second-most fatal incident on file claimed 176 lives in the mid-20th century and was caused by a detonation at street level at a commercial building. The worst was at Happy Valley Racecourse in the early 1900s, when more than 600 people perished.