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The city's leader, John Lee, has mandated the establishment of an separate inquiry panel to examine the reasons of a devastating fire that claimed the lives of 151 residents.

A Fire of Historic Proportions

Last Wednesday, seven of eight tower blocks at the Wang Fuk Court—which was subject to major refurbishment—were consumed by a blaze. Authorities later discovered that protective netting installed on the buildings did not comply with requirements for fire resistance.

At least 13 people have been detained on suspicion of potential negligent homicide, including the senior figures of a contractor.

"This is indeed a tragedy, it is a major blaze. Yes, we need reform. Failures have been detected in various phases. That is exactly why we must take decisive action to make certain all these gaps are addressed," stated the leader.

The Probe and Its Consequences

The inferno—advancing with speed both upwards and across the separate towers—was only fully doused by Friday morning, around 40 hours after it ignited, and necessitated in excess of 2,000 fire service personnel to subdue.

On that day, police began entering the buildings to secure proof. The government indicates the inquiry could require several weeks.

Shortcomings Uncovered

A number of occupants have reported they were not alerted by a fire alarm when the fire erupted. The city's fire department found that warning systems in all eight blocks were operating inadequately.

The relevant regulatory body has halted for now works on three dozen private developments.

Calls for Inquiry and Arrests

Separately, police reportedly detained a individual on allegations of sedition on Saturday. He was among a group calling for an autonomous investigation into the fire. An digital signature drive collected more than 10,000 endorsements in less than a day before its page was taken down.

A pair of additional persons, including a past council member, were also detained by police, per press accounts.

International Reaction

The rights group and The monitoring body have both criticised the reported arrests.

"This is the occasion for the local government to transparently investigate the origins of the devastating fire...as opposed to silencing those who pose valid inquiries," Amnesty International said.

Background and Resident Profile

The housing estate was constructed in the early 1980s and had offered nearly two thousand flats for around 4,600 residents, based on a 2021 government census.

Approximately 40 percent of its occupants are believed to be at least 65 years of age. Some have been occupants of the public housing complex since it was built.

The city's second-deadliest fire on file claimed 176 lives in 1948 and was the result of a ground-floor explosion at a five-storey warehouse. The worst was at Happy Valley Racecourse in 1918, when over 600 individuals lost their lives.