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Hong Kong's leader, John Lee, has ordered the creation of an independent committee to investigate the cause of a devastating fire that claimed the lives of 151 people.

A Blaze of Unprecedented Scale

This past Wednesday, the majority of the apartment buildings at the housing complex—that was in the midst of extensive renovations—were engulfed by fire. Authorities later discovered that safety scaffolding mesh surrounding the buildings fell short of fire safety regulations.

A minimum of 13 people have been detained on suspicion of potential negligent homicide, including the executives of a construction company.

"This is indeed a tragedy, the fire was immense. Changes are required. Failures have been detected in various phases. That is exactly why we must respond rigorously to make certain all these gaps are plucked," he said.

The Probe and Its Consequences

The inferno—which spread quickly both vertically and between the blocks—was only fully doused by the morning of Friday, some 40 hours after it began, and took more than 2,000 firefighters to subdue.

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

Shortcomings Uncovered

A number of occupants have reported they did not hear a smoke detector when the fire broke out. Local firefighters discovered that detection devices in every tower were operating inadequately.

The relevant regulatory body has put on hold renovation projects on numerous private sites.

Demands for Probe and Detentions

In a related development, authorities are said to have arrested a 24-year-old man on suspicion of incitement on Saturday. He was involved with a group petitioning for an autonomous investigation into the blaze. An internet-based appeal collected in excess of 10,000 supporters in under 24 hours before its information was removed.

Another two individuals, comprising a past council member, were also taken in by police, as reported by local media reports.

International Reaction

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

"This is the occasion for the local government to openly examine the reasons of the devastating fire...as opposed to muzzling those who ask legitimate questions," remarked the group.

Historical Context and Demographics

Wang Fuk Court was built in 1983 and had provided close to 2,000 units for approximately 4,600 residents, according to a recent official survey.

Approximately 40 percent of its inhabitants are believed to be at least 65 years of age. A number have been occupants of the public housing complex since it was built.

Hong Kong's second-worst blaze on record took 176 individuals in 1948 and was triggered by a ground-floor explosion at a commercial building. The worst was at a local racetrack in 1918, when in excess of 600 individuals lost their lives.