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Hong Kong's leader, John Lee, has mandated the establishment of an independent committee to investigate the cause of a devastating fire that took a minimum of 151 people.

A Fire of Historic Proportions

Last Wednesday, seven of eight apartment buildings at the estate—which had been undergoing extensive renovations—went up in flames. A probe subsequently revealed that safety scaffolding mesh installed on the buildings fell short of fire safety regulations.

A minimum of 13 people have been detained on suspicion of suspected manslaughter, comprising the directors of a contractor.

"Yes, it is a tragedy, it is a major blaze. Reform is necessary. Yes, we have identified failures in different stages. Hence we must act seriously to ensure that all these loopholes are plucked," stated the leader.

The Probe and Its Consequences

The blaze—that propagated rapidly both upwards and between the blocks—was finally put out by the morning of Friday, approximately two days after it started, and necessitated in excess of 2,000 fire service personnel to bring under control.

The same day, officers commenced entry into the buildings to gather evidence. Officials state the inquiry could last several weeks.

Shortcomings Uncovered

Multiple inhabitants have said they did not hear a smoke detector when the fire started. Hong Kong's fire service found that alarms in each building were not working effectively.

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

Calls for Inquiry and Arrests

Separately, police reportedly detained a 24-year-old man on suspicion of sedition on Saturday. He was among a group demanding an independent inquiry into the tragedy. An internet-based appeal amassed more than 10,000 endorsements in under 24 hours before its contents were wiped.

Another two individuals, including a past council member, were also detained by police, according to news outlets.

Global Response

Amnesty International and Another watchdog have both condemned the said apprehensions.

"The moment has come for the city's officials to thoroughly and publicly probe the origins of the tragic incident...rather than suppressing those who raise appropriate concerns," stated the organization.

Background and Resident Profile

The residential complex was built in the early 1980s and had offered close to 2,000 units for some 4,600 inhabitants, according to a population count.

Nearly 40% of its inhabitants are thought to be older than 65 years of age. Several have been occupants of the government-supported development since it was built.

Hong Kong's second-deadliest fire on in history took 176 people in the mid-20th century and was caused by a blast on the lower level at a multi-story storage facility. The deadliest was at Happy Valley Racecourse in the early 1900s, when more than 600 attendees died.