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Hong Kong's leader, John Lee, has ordered the creation of an separate inquiry panel to examine the reasons of a tragic inferno that claimed the lives of 151 residents.

A Blaze of Unprecedented Scale

This past Wednesday, most of the apartment buildings at the estate—which had been undergoing significant upgrades—were engulfed by fire. Investigators have since found that construction site netting used around the buildings fell short of flame retardant standards.

At least 13 suspects have been arrested for suspected manslaughter, comprising the directors of a construction company.

"Yes, it is a tragedy, it is a major blaze. Yes, we need reform. Yes, we have identified failures in multiple areas. Hence we must respond rigorously to make certain all these loopholes are addressed," stated the leader.

The Probe and Its Consequences

The blaze—that propagated rapidly both upwards and across the separate towers—was finally put out by the morning of Friday, approximately two days after it started, and took over 2,000 emergency responders to subdue.

That very day, authorities started accessing the buildings to secure proof. The government indicates the inquiry could take several weeks.

Systemic Failures Identified

Several residents have stated they failed to hear a emergency siren when the blaze broke out. Hong Kong's fire service discovered that warning systems in every tower were operating inadequately.

The relevant regulatory body has temporarily suspended works on 30 private projects.

Calls for Inquiry and Arrests

In a related development, authorities are said to have arrested a individual on suspicion of incitement on the weekend. He was involved with a collective petitioning for an independent inquiry into the tragedy. An internet-based appeal collected over 10,000 signatures in less than a day before its page was taken down.

Two other people, among them a past council member, were also taken in by officers, according to press accounts.

Global Response

Amnesty International and The monitoring body have both denounced the alleged detentions.

"Now is the time for the city's officials to openly examine the reasons of the devastating fire...instead of muzzling those who ask legitimate questions," remarked the group.

Background and Resident Profile

The residential complex was completed in 1983 and had offered close to 2,000 units for some 4,600 inhabitants, according to a recent official survey.

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

Hong Kong's second-most fatal incident on record killed 176 lives in 1948 and was the result of a ground-floor explosion at a multi-story storage facility. The most deadly was at Happy Valley Racecourse in 1918, when over 600 individuals lost their lives.