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Hong Kong's leader, John Lee, has ordered the creation of an autonomous task force to probe the origins of a catastrophic blaze that killed at least 151 residents.

A Blaze of Unprecedented Scale

On Wednesday last week, most of the residential blocks at the estate—which had been undergoing significant upgrades—went up in flames. Investigators have since found that protective netting used around the buildings fell short of fire safety regulations.

A minimum of 13 people have been arrested for suspected manslaughter, including the directors of a construction company.

"It is a terrible tragedy, the fire was immense. Yes, we need reform. Failures have been detected in various phases. This is precisely the reason we must take decisive action to guarantee all these loopholes are plucked," remarked Mr. Lee.

Investigation and Aftermath

The fire—which spread quickly both vertically and from building to building—was finally put out by the morning of Friday, some 40 hours after it ignited, and necessitated in excess of 2,000 fire service personnel to contain.

That very day, officers commenced entry into the buildings to collect forensic material. Officials state the investigation could take three to four weeks.

Shortcomings Uncovered

Multiple inhabitants have reported they did not hear a fire alarm when the blaze started. Hong Kong's fire service found that detection devices in every tower were operating inadequately.

The city's construction authority has put on hold construction activities on three dozen private developments.

Calls for Inquiry and Arrests

In a related development, officers took into custody a young man on suspicion of subversion on the weekend. He was involved with a gathering calling for an autonomous investigation into the tragedy. An digital signature drive gathered in excess of 10,000 signatures in a very short time before its information was removed.

Two other people, among them a ex-local representative, were also taken in by police, according to news outlets.

International Reaction

The human rights organization and Another watchdog have both denounced the alleged detentions.

"This is the occasion for the city's officials to thoroughly and publicly probe the origins of the tragic incident...as opposed to suppressing those who pose valid inquiries," stated the organization.

Historical Context and Demographics

The residential complex was completed in 1983 and had supplied close to 2,000 units for some 4,600 inhabitants, according to a 2021 government census.

Nearly 40% of its residents are thought to be older than 65 years of age. Several have been occupants of the government-supported development since it was built.

The city's second-deadliest fire on in history took 176 individuals in the mid-20th century and was caused by a ground-floor explosion at a five-storey warehouse. The most deadly was at a local racetrack in 1918, when in excess of 600 attendees died.