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Hong Kong's chief executive, John Lee, has mandated the establishment of an autonomous task force to examine the reasons of a tragic inferno that took a minimum of 151 individuals.

A Fire of Historic Proportions

On Wednesday last week, the majority of the tower blocks at the housing complex—which had been undergoing significant upgrades—were consumed by a blaze. Investigators have since found that protective netting used around the buildings fell short of flame retardant standards.

At least 13 suspects have been arrested for suspected manslaughter, comprising the senior figures of a construction company.

"It is a terrible tragedy, the fire was immense. Yes, we need reform. Failures have been detected in various phases. This is precisely the reason we must take decisive action to make certain all these deficiencies are plucked," stated the leader.

The Probe and Its Consequences

The fire—which spread quickly both upwards and between the blocks—was only fully doused by the morning of Friday, some 40 hours after it ignited, and necessitated more than 2,000 firefighters to bring under control.

On that day, officers commenced entry into the buildings to gather evidence. Authorities say the inquiry could last several weeks.

Systemic Failures Identified

Multiple inhabitants have stated they were not alerted by a smoke detector when the blaze erupted. The city's fire department found that alarms in each building were malfunctioning.

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

Demands for Probe and Detentions

Separately, officers took into custody a individual on allegations of subversion on the weekend. He was part of a group petitioning for an independent inquiry into the fire. An digital signature drive amassed over 10,000 signatures in less than a day before its contents were wiped.

Another two individuals, comprising a former district councillor, were also taken in by authorities, per local media reports.

International Reaction

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

"Now is the time for the city's officials to transparently investigate the reasons of the catastrophic blaze...as opposed to suppressing those who ask legitimate questions," stated the organization.

Historical Context and Demographics

The housing estate was completed in the early 1980s and had offered nearly two thousand flats for approximately 4,600 residents, per a population count.

Almost four in ten of its occupants are thought to be older than 65 years old. A number have resided in the government-supported development since it was built.

Hong Kong's second-deadliest fire on file took 176 individuals in 1948 and was triggered by a ground-floor explosion at a commercial building. The worst was at a local racetrack in 1918, when over 600 attendees perished.