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The city's chief executive, John Lee, has directed the formation of an separate inquiry panel to probe the origins of a catastrophic blaze that took a minimum of 151 residents.

A Blaze of Unprecedented Scale

On Wednesday last week, most of the tower blocks at the housing complex—which was subject to major refurbishment—were engulfed by fire. Investigators have since found that safety scaffolding mesh surrounding the buildings did not comply with fire safety regulations.

At least 13 people have been arrested for alleged culpable homicide, among them the senior figures of a construction company.

"It is a terrible tragedy, the fire was immense. Changes are required. We have uncovered shortcomings in various phases. Hence we must respond rigorously to guarantee all these deficiencies are plucked," stated the leader.

The Probe and Its Consequences

The inferno—advancing with speed both vertically and from building to building—was finally put out by the end of the week, around 40 hours after it started, and necessitated in excess of 2,000 emergency responders to bring under control.

On that day, officers commenced entry into the buildings to secure proof. The government indicates the inquiry could require approximately a month.

Shortcomings Uncovered

A number of occupants have stated they failed to hear a smoke detector when the incident erupted. The city's fire department found that alarms in every tower were malfunctioning.

The city's construction authority has put on hold construction activities on 30 private projects.

Calls for Inquiry and Arrests

Additionally, police reportedly detained a 24-year-old man on suspicion of sedition on the weekend. He was among a collective petitioning for an autonomous investigation into the tragedy. An online petition gathered in excess of 10,000 endorsements in under 24 hours before its information was removed.

Two other people, including a past council member, were also detained by police, as reported by press accounts.

International Reaction

The human rights organization and Another watchdog have both denounced the said apprehensions.

"The moment has come for the city's officials to openly examine the origins of the catastrophic blaze...as opposed to muzzling those who raise appropriate concerns," stated the organization.

Historical Context and Demographics

Wang Fuk Court was completed in the early 1980s and had provided nearly two thousand flats for some 4,600 inhabitants, per a 2021 government census.

Nearly 40% of its occupants are thought to be over 65 years old. Some have been occupants of the subsidised housing estate from its inception.

Hong Kong's second-deadliest fire on record took 176 individuals in 1948 and was caused by a detonation at street level at a five-storey warehouse. The most deadly was at Happy Valley Racecourse in 1918, when over 600 people died.