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The city's leader, John Lee, has ordered the creation of an separate inquiry panel to examine the reasons of a tragic inferno that took a minimum of 151 residents.

A Blaze of Unprecedented Scale

Last Wednesday, seven of eight residential blocks at the Wang Fuk Court—that was in the midst of extensive renovations—were consumed by a blaze. Investigators have since found that safety scaffolding mesh installed on the buildings fell short of fire safety regulations.

No fewer than 13 suspects have been detained on suspicion of alleged culpable homicide, including the senior figures of a construction company.

"Yes, it is a tragedy, the fire was immense. Changes are required. Failures have been detected in multiple areas. That is exactly why we must take decisive action to make certain all these gaps are addressed," remarked Mr. Lee.

Investigation and Aftermath

The fire—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 took in excess of 2,000 emergency responders to contain.

The same day, officers commenced entry into the buildings to gather evidence. The government indicates the inquiry could require approximately a month.

Systemic Failures Identified

Several residents have stated they did not hear a smoke detector when the incident broke out. Hong Kong's fire service discovered that warning systems in every tower were malfunctioning.

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

Demands for Probe and Detentions

Separately, police reportedly detained a individual on suspicion of subversion on Saturday. He was among a group calling for an autonomous investigation into the blaze. An internet-based appeal collected more than 10,000 signatures in a very short time before its page was taken down.

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

Global Response

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

"This is the occasion for the local government to transparently investigate the reasons of the devastating fire...as opposed to silencing those who ask legitimate questions," Amnesty International said.

Historical Context and Demographics

The housing estate was completed in 1983 and had supplied close to 2,000 units for around 4,600 occupants, per a recent official survey.

Almost four in ten of its residents are believed to be over 65 years of age. Some have lived in the subsidised housing estate from its inception.

The city's second-most fatal incident on file claimed 176 lives in the mid-20th century and was the result of a detonation at street level at a commercial building. The deadliest was at Happy Valley Racecourse in 1918, when in excess of 600 people perished.