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The city's leader, John Lee, has ordered the creation of an autonomous task force to examine the reasons of a tragic inferno that claimed the lives of 151 individuals.

A Fire of Historic Proportions

Last Wednesday, the majority of the apartment buildings at the Wang Fuk Court—which was subject to major refurbishment—went up in flames. Investigators have since found that construction site netting surrounding the buildings fell short of requirements for fire resistance.

At least 13 suspects have been taken into custody over suspected manslaughter, including the senior figures of a construction company.

"This is indeed a tragedy, it is a major blaze. Changes are required. Failures have been detected in different stages. That is exactly why we must respond rigorously to guarantee all these deficiencies are plucked," he said.

The Probe and Its Consequences

The blaze—which spread quickly both vertically and from building to building—was finally put out by the end of the week, approximately two days after it started, and required in excess of 2,000 fire service personnel to contain.

That very day, authorities started accessing the buildings to gather evidence. Authorities say the probe could last several weeks.

Systemic Failures Identified

Multiple inhabitants have stated they were not alerted by a fire alarm when the fire started. The city's fire department found that alarms in every tower were malfunctioning.

Hong Kong's buildings department has put on hold renovation projects on numerous private sites.

Demands for Probe and Detentions

In a related development, police reportedly detained a young man on suspicion of incitement on Saturday. He was involved with a gathering petitioning for an independent inquiry into the tragedy. An internet-based appeal amassed over 10,000 endorsements in less than a day before its page was taken down.

A pair of additional persons, comprising a former district councillor, were also questioned by authorities, as reported by local media reports.

Global Response

Amnesty International and The monitoring body have both condemned the said apprehensions.

"Now is the time for the Hong Kong authorities to openly examine the causes of the tragic incident...rather than silencing those who pose valid inquiries," Amnesty International said.

Historical Context and Demographics

The housing estate was constructed in the early 1980s and had provided 1,984 apartments for around 4,600 inhabitants, per a 2021 government census.

Almost four in ten of its residents are believed to be over 65 years old. A number have been occupants of the public housing complex since it was built.

Hong Kong's second-worst blaze on in history claimed 176 individuals in the mid-20th century and was caused by a detonation at street level at a five-storey warehouse. The worst was at a sporting venue in 1918, when in excess of 600 people died.