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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 devastating fire that claimed the lives of 151 individuals.

A Fire of Historic Proportions

Last Wednesday, the majority of the tower blocks at the Wang Fuk Court—which was subject to extensive renovations—were consumed by a blaze. Investigators have since found that construction site netting used around the buildings did not comply with requirements for fire resistance.

At least 13 people have been detained on suspicion of suspected manslaughter, comprising the directors of a building firm.

"This is indeed a tragedy, it is a big fire. Yes, we need reform. Failures have been detected in different stages. This is precisely the reason we must act seriously to guarantee all these loopholes are plucked," he said.

Investigation and Aftermath

The inferno—that propagated rapidly both upwards and between the blocks—was finally put out by the end of the week, approximately two days after it started, and took more than 2,000 firefighters to contain.

On that day, authorities started accessing the buildings to collect forensic material. Authorities say the probe could require three to four weeks.

Systemic Failures Identified

Multiple inhabitants have stated they did not hear a fire alarm when the blaze started. Hong Kong's fire service found that alarms in every tower were malfunctioning.

The city's construction authority has temporarily suspended works on 30 private projects.

Demands for Probe and Detentions

Additionally, police reportedly detained a 24-year-old man on charges related to sedition on the weekend. He was part of a gathering demanding an separate review into the tragedy. An digital signature drive collected in excess of 10,000 supporters in a very short time before its information was removed.

Another two individuals, including a former district councillor, were also questioned by officers, as reported by local media reports.

Global Response

Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch have both condemned the alleged detentions.

"The moment has come for the local government to openly examine the reasons of the tragic incident...instead of suppressing those who raise appropriate concerns," Amnesty International said.

Background and Resident Profile

Wang Fuk Court was completed in the early 1980s and had provided 1,984 apartments for around 4,600 occupants, based on a 2021 government census.

Nearly 40% of its residents are believed to be older than 65 years old. Several have lived in the public housing complex since it was built.

The city's second-most fatal incident on file took 176 lives in 1948 and was the result of a ground-floor explosion at a multi-story storage facility. The most deadly was at a local racetrack in 1918, when more than 600 attendees perished.