The city's Chief Executive Orders Investigation into Fatal Blaze that Claimed Lives of 151

The city's leader, John Lee, has mandated the establishment of an autonomous task force to examine the reasons of a devastating fire that took a minimum of 151 people.

A Fire of Historic Proportions

This past Wednesday, seven of eight residential blocks at the housing complex—which had been undergoing major refurbishment—were consumed by a blaze. Investigators have since found that construction site netting surrounding the buildings failed to meet flame retardant standards.

No fewer than 13 suspects have been taken into custody over potential negligent homicide, among them the senior figures of a construction company.

"It is a terrible tragedy, the fire was immense. Reform is necessary. Yes, we have identified failures in different stages. This is precisely the reason we must act seriously to guarantee all these loopholes are plucked," stated the leader.

Investigation and Aftermath

The blaze—advancing with speed both upwards and across the separate towers—was not completely extinguished by Friday morning, around 40 hours after it ignited, and required more than 2,000 firefighters to contain.

That very day, police began entering the buildings to collect forensic material. Authorities say the probe could take three to four weeks.

Shortcomings Uncovered

A number of occupants have said they did not hear a emergency siren when the blaze erupted. Hong Kong's fire service discovered that detection devices in every tower were malfunctioning.

Hong Kong's buildings department has temporarily suspended construction activities on 30 private projects.

Calls for Inquiry and Arrests

Separately, officers took into custody a 24-year-old man on charges related to subversion on the weekend. He was part of a group petitioning for an autonomous investigation into the blaze. An online petition gathered over 10,000 signatures in a very short time before its page was taken down.

A pair of additional persons, among them a former district councillor, were also detained by police, according to local media reports.

Global Response

The rights group and Human Rights Watch have both condemned the alleged detentions.

"This is the occasion for the Hong Kong authorities to openly examine the origins of the catastrophic blaze...as opposed to suppressing those who raise appropriate concerns," remarked the group.

Historical Context and Demographics

The housing estate was built in 1983 and had offered 1,984 apartments for around 4,600 residents, according to a population count.

Almost four in ten of its residents are thought to be at least 65 years old. Several have lived in the government-supported development since its construction.

The city's second-most fatal incident on file killed 176 lives in the mid-20th century and was triggered by a ground-floor explosion at a multi-story storage facility. The deadliest was at a sporting venue in 1918, when in excess of 600 attendees lost their lives.