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Hong Kong's leader, John Lee, has mandated the establishment of an separate inquiry panel to examine the reasons of a devastating fire that took a minimum of 151 individuals.

A Blaze of Unprecedented Scale

On Wednesday last week, seven of eight apartment buildings at the estate—which had been undergoing significant upgrades—went up in flames. A probe subsequently revealed that construction site netting surrounding the buildings failed to meet requirements for fire resistance.

No fewer than 13 people have been detained on suspicion of potential negligent homicide, including the senior figures of a building firm.

"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 act seriously to ensure that all these deficiencies are eliminated," he said.

Investigation and Aftermath

The blaze—that propagated rapidly both vertically and between the blocks—was not completely extinguished by the end of the week, some 40 hours after it ignited, and took in excess of 2,000 emergency responders to contain.

That very day, police began entering the buildings to gather evidence. Authorities say the inquiry could last several weeks.

Shortcomings Uncovered

Several residents have reported they did not hear a smoke detector when the incident broke out. The city's fire department determined that detection devices in every tower were operating inadequately.

The relevant regulatory body has halted for now works on three dozen private developments.

Calls for Inquiry and Arrests

In a related development, authorities are said to have arrested a individual on charges related to incitement on the weekend. He was among a gathering calling for an separate review into the fire. An internet-based appeal collected in excess of 10,000 endorsements in less than a day before its page was taken down.

Another two individuals, among them a past council member, were also questioned by police, per press accounts.

International Reaction

Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch have both criticised the reported arrests.

"Now is the time for the local government to thoroughly and publicly probe the origins of the devastating fire...rather than muzzling those who ask legitimate questions," stated the organization.

Background and Resident Profile

The residential complex was constructed in the early 1980s and had offered nearly two thousand flats for some 4,600 inhabitants, per a population count.

Approximately 40 percent of its inhabitants are believed to be at least 65 years old. A number have been occupants of the public housing complex from its inception.

Hong Kong's second-most fatal incident on in history killed 176 people in the mid-20th century and was the result of a ground-floor explosion at a commercial building. The most deadly was at a local racetrack in 1918, when over 600 individuals perished.