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Hong Kong's chief executive, John Lee, has directed the formation of an autonomous task force to investigate the cause of a devastating fire that killed at least 151 individuals.

A Fire of Historic Proportions

This past Wednesday, the majority of the residential blocks at the Wang Fuk Court—that was in the midst of significant upgrades—were engulfed by fire. Investigators have since found that safety scaffolding mesh surrounding the buildings did not comply with fire safety regulations.

No fewer than 13 individuals have been arrested for suspected manslaughter, comprising the executives of a construction company.

"This is indeed a tragedy, it is a big fire. Yes, we need reform. Failures have been detected in various phases. Hence we must act seriously to guarantee all these deficiencies are eliminated," stated the leader.

Investigation and Aftermath

The blaze—advancing with speed both vertically and across the separate towers—was not completely extinguished by the morning of Friday, around 40 hours after it started, and took in excess of 2,000 fire service personnel to bring under control.

The same day, police began entering the buildings to collect forensic material. Officials state the probe could last three to four weeks.

Systemic Failures Identified

Several residents have reported they did not hear a smoke detector when the incident broke out. Hong Kong's fire service found that alarms in all eight blocks were malfunctioning.

The city's construction authority has halted for now renovation projects on 30 private projects.

Demands for Probe and Detentions

Separately, police reportedly detained a 24-year-old man on allegations of subversion on Saturday. He was part of a group petitioning for an separate review into the tragedy. An digital signature drive amassed over 10,000 endorsements in under 24 hours before its information was removed.

A pair of additional persons, including a former district councillor, were also taken in by police, according to local media reports.

Global Response

The human rights organization and Another watchdog have both denounced the said apprehensions.

"The moment has come for the city's officials to thoroughly and publicly probe the reasons of the devastating fire...as opposed to silencing those who ask legitimate questions," remarked the group.

Background and Resident Profile

The residential complex was completed in the early 1980s and had offered nearly two thousand flats for approximately 4,600 inhabitants, according to a population count.

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

The city's second-deadliest fire on file claimed 176 individuals in 1948 and was caused by a blast on the lower level at a multi-story storage facility. The deadliest was at a local racetrack in the early 1900s, when more than 600 individuals lost their lives.