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Hong Kong's chief executive, John Lee, has ordered the creation of an autonomous task force to investigate the cause of a devastating fire that took a minimum of 151 individuals.

A Fire of Historic Proportions

Last Wednesday, most of the tower blocks at the Wang Fuk Court—that was in the midst of major refurbishment—were consumed by a blaze. Authorities later discovered that protective netting surrounding the buildings fell short of flame retardant standards.

No fewer than 13 suspects have been arrested for suspected manslaughter, including the senior figures of a contractor.

"It is a terrible tragedy, the fire was immense. Yes, we need reform. Yes, we have identified failures in different stages. This is precisely the reason we must take decisive action to make certain all these gaps are plucked," remarked Mr. Lee.

The Probe and Its Consequences

The fire—which spread quickly both vertically and between the blocks—was only fully doused by the morning of Friday, some 40 hours after it ignited, and necessitated in excess of 2,000 fire service personnel to bring under control.

On that day, police began entering the buildings to gather evidence. Authorities say the probe could last several weeks.

Systemic Failures Identified

Several residents have said they failed to hear a fire alarm when the incident erupted. The city's fire department found that alarms in every tower were operating inadequately.

The relevant regulatory body has halted for now works on 30 private projects.

Calls for Inquiry and Arrests

Separately, officers took into custody a young man on suspicion of subversion on the weekend. He was among a collective petitioning for an independent inquiry into the tragedy. An internet-based appeal collected more than 10,000 endorsements in under 24 hours before its contents were wiped.

Two other people, among them a former district councillor, were also questioned by officers, as reported by news outlets.

Global Response

Amnesty International and The monitoring body have both denounced the alleged detentions.

"Now is the time for the city's officials to thoroughly and publicly probe the reasons of the catastrophic blaze...instead of silencing those who raise appropriate concerns," Amnesty International said.

Historical Context and Demographics

Wang Fuk Court was built in 1983 and had supplied 1,984 apartments for some 4,600 residents, per a recent official survey.

Approximately 40 percent of its residents are estimated to be older than 65 years of age. Several have been occupants of the government-supported development from its inception.

Hong Kong's second-worst blaze on in history claimed 176 lives in 1948 and was the result of a detonation at street level at a commercial building. The deadliest was at Happy Valley Racecourse in the early 1900s, when more than 600 attendees died.