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The city's leader, John Lee, has mandated the establishment of an independent committee to examine the reasons of a devastating fire that killed at least 151 residents.

A Fire of Historic Proportions

Last Wednesday, most of the tower blocks at the housing complex—that was in the midst of significant upgrades—were engulfed by fire. A probe subsequently revealed that safety scaffolding mesh installed on the buildings fell short of fire safety regulations.

No fewer than 13 individuals have been taken into custody over potential negligent homicide, including the executives of a contractor.

"This is indeed a tragedy, the fire was immense. Yes, we need reform. Yes, we have identified failures in different stages. That is exactly why we must respond rigorously to make certain all these loopholes are eliminated," remarked Mr. Lee.

The Probe and Its Consequences

The blaze—advancing with speed both upwards and from building to building—was not completely extinguished by the end of the week, around 40 hours after it ignited, and required over 2,000 emergency responders to contain.

On that day, authorities started accessing the buildings to secure proof. Authorities say the investigation could take approximately a month.

Shortcomings Uncovered

Multiple inhabitants have stated they failed to hear a fire alarm when the blaze broke out. Local firefighters discovered that alarms in all eight blocks were operating inadequately.

Hong Kong's buildings department has put on hold works on 30 private projects.

Demands for Probe and Detentions

Separately, authorities are said to have arrested a 24-year-old man on allegations of sedition on the weekend. He was among a gathering calling for an separate review into the blaze. An online petition gathered in excess of 10,000 endorsements in a very short time before its information was removed.

Another two individuals, including a past council member, were also questioned by police, according to press accounts.

International Reaction

The rights group and Another watchdog have both denounced the alleged detentions.

"Now is the time for the local government to openly examine the causes of the tragic incident...rather than silencing those who raise appropriate concerns," stated the organization.

Historical Context and Demographics

The housing estate was constructed in the early 1980s and had provided 1,984 apartments for approximately 4,600 residents, according to a recent official survey.

Approximately 40 percent of its occupants are estimated to be at least 65 years of age. Some have lived in the subsidised housing estate since its construction.

Hong Kong's second-worst blaze on in history killed 176 people in 1948 and was the result of a detonation at street level at a commercial building. The worst was at a local racetrack in 1918, when more than 600 attendees died.