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Hong Kong's leader, John Lee, has directed the formation of an independent committee to examine the reasons of a catastrophic blaze that took a minimum of 151 individuals.

A Blaze of Unprecedented Scale

Last Wednesday, seven of eight apartment buildings at the housing complex—which was subject to extensive renovations—were consumed by a blaze. A probe subsequently revealed that construction site netting installed on the buildings fell short of flame retardant standards.

A minimum of 13 people have been taken into custody over alleged culpable homicide, including the directors of a building firm.

"This is indeed a tragedy, it is a big fire. Changes are required. Yes, we have identified failures in different stages. This is precisely the reason we must act seriously to ensure that all these deficiencies are addressed," remarked Mr. Lee.

Investigation and Aftermath

The blaze—advancing with speed both upwards and across the separate towers—was only fully doused by the morning of Friday, some 40 hours after it began, and took more than 2,000 fire service personnel to bring under control.

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

Systemic Failures Identified

A number of occupants have reported they failed to hear a smoke detector when the fire erupted. Hong Kong's fire service discovered that warning systems in all eight blocks were not working effectively.

The city's construction authority has halted for now works on numerous private sites.

Calls for Inquiry and Arrests

Additionally, authorities are said to have arrested a individual on suspicion of sedition on the weekend. He was part of a collective calling for an independent inquiry into the tragedy. An internet-based appeal collected more than 10,000 supporters in less than a day before its information was removed.

A pair of additional persons, including a ex-local representative, were also taken in by officers, as reported by local media reports.

Global Response

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

"The moment has come for the city's officials to openly examine the origins of the tragic incident...as opposed to silencing those who pose valid inquiries," remarked the group.

Background and Resident Profile

The residential complex was built in 1983 and had provided close to 2,000 units for around 4,600 occupants, according to a recent official survey.

Almost four in ten of its occupants are thought to be older than 65 years of age. Several have resided in the subsidised housing estate from its inception.

The city's second-deadliest fire on in history killed 176 individuals in 1948 and was caused by a blast on the lower level at a five-storey warehouse. The most deadly was at a sporting venue in the early 1900s, when more than 600 people lost their lives.