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The city's chief executive, John Lee, has mandated the establishment of an separate inquiry panel to investigate the cause of a devastating fire that killed at least 151 individuals.

A Blaze of Unprecedented Scale

Last Wednesday, the majority of the tower blocks at the Wang Fuk Court—which was subject to major refurbishment—were engulfed by fire. Authorities later discovered that safety scaffolding mesh used around the buildings fell short of requirements for fire resistance.

At least 13 people have been detained on suspicion of alleged culpable homicide, comprising the senior figures of a contractor.

"This is indeed a tragedy, it is a big fire. Changes are required. Failures have been detected in different stages. This is precisely the reason we must respond rigorously to make certain all these gaps are addressed," he said.

Investigation and Aftermath

The fire—that propagated rapidly both upwards and from building to building—was not completely extinguished by the morning of Friday, approximately two days after it ignited, and necessitated more than 2,000 emergency responders to subdue.

On that day, police began entering the buildings to collect forensic material. Officials state the probe could take several weeks.

Systemic Failures Identified

Several residents have stated they did not hear a emergency siren when the incident erupted. The city's fire department found that alarms in all eight blocks were malfunctioning.

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

Demands for Probe and Detentions

In a related development, police reportedly detained a individual on allegations of sedition on Saturday. He was involved with a collective petitioning for an independent inquiry into the tragedy. An digital signature drive gathered over 10,000 endorsements in less than a day before its information was removed.

A pair of additional persons, among them a ex-local representative, were also taken in by authorities, as reported by press accounts.

Global Response

Amnesty International and Another watchdog have both criticised the reported arrests.

"This is the occasion for the local government to thoroughly and publicly probe the reasons of the tragic incident...as opposed to silencing those who ask legitimate questions," remarked the group.

Background and Resident Profile

Wang Fuk Court was constructed in 1983 and had offered close to 2,000 units for some 4,600 inhabitants, based on a 2021 government census.

Approximately 40 percent of its inhabitants are estimated to be over 65 years of age. Several have resided in the government-supported development from its inception.

The city's second-most fatal incident on in history killed 176 individuals in the mid-20th century and was caused by a blast on the lower level at a multi-story storage facility. The worst was at a local racetrack in 1918, when in excess of 600 attendees lost their lives.