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The city's leader, John Lee, has directed the formation of an separate inquiry panel to examine the reasons of a devastating fire that killed at least 151 individuals.

A Blaze of Unprecedented Scale

This past Wednesday, most of the apartment buildings at the Wang Fuk Court—which had been undergoing extensive renovations—went up in flames. A probe subsequently revealed that construction site netting installed on the buildings did not comply with flame retardant standards.

A minimum of 13 people have been arrested for potential negligent homicide, among them the executives of a building firm.

"Yes, it is a tragedy, it is a big fire. Changes are required. Yes, we have identified failures in multiple areas. That is exactly why we must act seriously to make certain all these deficiencies are plucked," stated the leader.

Investigation and Aftermath

The inferno—advancing with speed both vertically and from building to building—was only fully doused by the morning of Friday, approximately two days after it ignited, and necessitated more than 2,000 fire service personnel to subdue.

The same day, police began entering the buildings to collect forensic material. The government indicates the inquiry could last three to four weeks.

Systemic Failures Identified

A number of occupants have stated they failed to hear a emergency siren when the incident broke out. Local firefighters discovered that alarms in each building were not working effectively.

The city's construction authority has put on hold works on 30 private projects.

Calls for Inquiry and Arrests

In a related development, police reportedly detained a individual on charges related to sedition on the weekend. He was part of a collective demanding an independent inquiry into the fire. An internet-based appeal collected more than 10,000 signatures in less than a day before its page was taken down.

Another two individuals, among them a past council member, were also detained by officers, as reported by news outlets.

International Reaction

Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch have both condemned the said apprehensions.

"This is the occasion for the Hong Kong authorities to transparently investigate the origins of the devastating fire...as opposed to muzzling those who pose valid inquiries," remarked the group.

Historical Context and Demographics

The residential complex was completed in the early 1980s and had supplied close to 2,000 units for approximately 4,600 inhabitants, per a population count.

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

Hong Kong's second-worst blaze on record killed 176 lives in 1948 and was the result of a detonation at street level at a multi-story storage facility. The worst was at Happy Valley Racecourse in the early 1900s, when in excess of 600 people lost their lives.