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Hong Kong's leader, John Lee, has mandated the establishment of an separate inquiry panel to investigate the cause of a catastrophic blaze that claimed the lives of 151 people.

A Fire of Historic Proportions

On Wednesday last week, most of the residential blocks at the housing complex—which had been undergoing major refurbishment—went up in flames. Investigators have since found that protective netting surrounding the buildings failed to meet flame retardant standards.

No fewer than 13 people have been arrested for suspected manslaughter, comprising the executives of a building firm.

"Yes, it is a tragedy, the fire was immense. Reform is necessary. We have uncovered shortcomings in multiple areas. Hence we must take decisive action to guarantee all these deficiencies are addressed," he said.

Investigation and Aftermath

The blaze—which spread quickly both vertically and between the blocks—was finally put out by the end of the week, some 40 hours after it started, and required in excess of 2,000 emergency responders to contain.

That very day, authorities started accessing the buildings to collect forensic material. The government indicates the inquiry could require approximately a month.

Shortcomings Uncovered

A number of occupants have reported they failed to hear a smoke detector when the incident broke out. Local firefighters determined that detection devices in each building were malfunctioning.

The relevant regulatory body has put on hold construction activities on 30 private projects.

Calls for Inquiry and Arrests

Separately, authorities are said to have arrested a young man on suspicion of incitement on Saturday. He was involved with a gathering demanding an separate review into the tragedy. An online petition collected over 10,000 signatures in under 24 hours before its contents were wiped.

A pair of additional persons, comprising a former district councillor, were also questioned by police, as reported by news outlets.

Global Response

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

"This is the occasion for the Hong Kong authorities to thoroughly and publicly probe the reasons of the devastating fire...instead of silencing those who ask legitimate questions," stated the organization.

Background and Resident Profile

Wang Fuk Court was built in the early 1980s and had offered nearly two thousand flats for around 4,600 inhabitants, per a population count.

Nearly 40% of its occupants are believed to be over 65 years old. Several have resided in the public housing complex from its inception.

The city's second-most fatal incident on file killed 176 individuals in 1948 and was triggered by a ground-floor explosion at a five-storey warehouse. The worst was at a local racetrack in the early 1900s, when in excess of 600 people lost their lives.