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

A Fire of Historic Proportions

On Wednesday last week, the majority of the apartment buildings at the Wang Fuk Court—that was in the midst of significant upgrades—were consumed by a blaze. Investigators have since found that construction site netting installed on the buildings fell short of flame retardant standards.

A minimum of 13 suspects have been taken into custody over suspected manslaughter, comprising the executives of a building firm.

"Yes, it is a tragedy, the fire was immense. Yes, we need reform. Yes, we have identified failures in multiple areas. That is exactly why we must act seriously to ensure that all these gaps are addressed," remarked Mr. Lee.

Investigation and Aftermath

The blaze—which spread quickly both upwards and across the separate towers—was finally put out by Friday morning, around 40 hours after it ignited, and necessitated more than 2,000 firefighters to contain.

That very day, authorities started accessing the buildings to secure proof. The government indicates the inquiry could last approximately a month.

Systemic Failures Identified

A number of occupants have said they did not hear a emergency siren when the incident started. Local firefighters found that alarms in every tower were operating inadequately.

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

Calls for Inquiry and Arrests

Separately, officers took into custody a young man on allegations of sedition on Saturday. He was among a gathering petitioning for an autonomous investigation into the tragedy. An digital signature drive gathered over 10,000 supporters in less than a day before its information was removed.

Two other people, among them a former district councillor, were also detained by officers, as reported by press accounts.

International Reaction

The human rights organization and Another watchdog have both denounced the alleged detentions.

"This is the occasion for the city's officials to openly examine the causes of the tragic incident...rather than muzzling those who ask legitimate questions," remarked the group.

Historical Context and Demographics

Wang Fuk Court was built in the early 1980s and had offered nearly two thousand flats for around 4,600 residents, based on a population count.

Nearly 40% of its inhabitants are thought to be over 65 years of age. Several have resided in the public housing complex from its inception.

The city's second-most fatal incident on file killed 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 the early 1900s, when more than 600 individuals died.