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The city's leader, John Lee, has ordered the creation of an independent committee to investigate the cause of a tragic inferno that took a minimum of 151 individuals.

A Blaze of Unprecedented Scale

On Wednesday last week, seven of eight apartment buildings at the Wang Fuk Court—that was in the midst of extensive renovations—were engulfed by fire. Investigators have since found that protective netting surrounding the buildings did not comply with fire safety regulations.

A minimum of 13 individuals have been taken into custody over potential negligent homicide, among them the senior figures of a contractor.

"This is indeed a tragedy, the fire was immense. Yes, we need reform. We have uncovered shortcomings in various phases. That is exactly why we must act seriously to make certain all these loopholes are plucked," he said.

Investigation and Aftermath

The fire—which spread quickly both upwards and between the blocks—was not completely extinguished by Friday morning, approximately two days after it began, and necessitated more than 2,000 emergency responders to subdue.

The same day, officers commenced entry into the buildings to secure proof. Officials state the investigation could require approximately a month.

Shortcomings Uncovered

Multiple inhabitants have stated they failed to hear a smoke detector when the fire started. The city's fire department discovered that warning systems in each building were not working effectively.

Hong Kong's buildings department has temporarily suspended renovation projects on numerous private sites.

Demands for Probe and Detentions

Separately, officers took into custody a young man on charges related to sedition on Saturday. He was part of a group petitioning for an separate review into the fire. An online petition collected in excess of 10,000 endorsements in a very short time before its page was taken down.

Another two individuals, among them a former district councillor, were also taken in by authorities, per press accounts.

Global Response

Amnesty International and The monitoring body have both denounced the reported arrests.

"The moment has come for the Hong Kong authorities to transparently investigate the causes of the catastrophic blaze...as opposed to silencing those who pose valid inquiries," remarked the group.

Historical Context and Demographics

The housing estate was built in the early 1980s and had provided 1,984 apartments for approximately 4,600 occupants, per a population count.

Nearly 40% of its occupants are thought to be older than 65 years old. Some have resided in the public housing complex from its inception.

Hong Kong's second-deadliest fire on file took 176 individuals in 1948 and was triggered by a blast on the lower level at a multi-story storage facility. The deadliest was at a local racetrack in the early 1900s, when over 600 people lost their lives.