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Hong Kong's chief executive, John Lee, has ordered the creation of an independent committee to examine the reasons of a tragic inferno that took a minimum of 151 people.

A Fire of Historic Proportions

On Wednesday last week, seven of eight tower blocks at the Wang Fuk Court—that was in the midst of significant upgrades—were engulfed by fire. Investigators have since found that protective netting installed on the buildings failed to meet requirements for fire resistance.

No fewer than 13 people have been detained on suspicion of alleged culpable homicide, comprising the directors of a contractor.

"Yes, it is a tragedy, it is a big fire. Reform is necessary. Failures have been detected in various phases. Hence we must take decisive action to ensure that all these loopholes are eliminated," he said.

Investigation and Aftermath

The inferno—advancing with speed both vertically and from building to building—was finally put out by the end of the week, approximately two days after it started, and required over 2,000 fire service personnel to subdue.

On that day, officers commenced entry into the buildings to collect forensic material. Officials state the inquiry could take three to four weeks.

Shortcomings Uncovered

Multiple inhabitants have stated they failed to hear a smoke detector when the blaze erupted. Local firefighters found that alarms in all eight blocks were operating inadequately.

The relevant regulatory body has put on hold construction activities on numerous private sites.

Calls for Inquiry and Arrests

Separately, officers took into custody a young man on allegations of sedition on Saturday. He was part of a collective calling for an separate review into the tragedy. An internet-based appeal gathered over 10,000 supporters in under 24 hours before its information was removed.

Two other people, including a past council member, were also detained by officers, according to news outlets.

Global Response

The human rights organization and Another watchdog have both condemned the reported arrests.

"Now is the time for the Hong Kong authorities to openly examine the reasons of the catastrophic blaze...as opposed to silencing those who pose valid inquiries," remarked the group.

Background and Resident Profile

The housing estate was constructed in 1983 and had provided nearly two thousand flats for approximately 4,600 residents, according to a recent official survey.

Nearly 40% of its occupants are thought to be at least 65 years old. Some have resided in the subsidised housing estate since its construction.

Hong Kong's second-most fatal incident on file took 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 sporting venue in the early 1900s, when in excess of 600 attendees perished.