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The city's leader, John Lee, has ordered the creation of an separate inquiry panel to probe the origins of a tragic inferno that claimed the lives of 151 individuals.

A Fire of Historic Proportions

On Wednesday last week, the majority of the apartment buildings at the Wang Fuk Court—which was subject to significant upgrades—were engulfed by fire. Authorities later discovered that safety scaffolding mesh surrounding the buildings did not comply with flame retardant standards.

At least 13 individuals have been detained on suspicion of potential negligent homicide, including the executives of a contractor.

"It is a terrible tragedy, the fire was immense. Reform is necessary. We have uncovered shortcomings in different stages. That is exactly why we must act seriously to ensure that all these gaps are plucked," remarked Mr. Lee.

Investigation and Aftermath

The blaze—that propagated rapidly both upwards and from building to building—was not completely extinguished by the morning of Friday, around 40 hours after it ignited, and necessitated over 2,000 emergency responders to bring under control.

The same day, police began entering the buildings to secure proof. Officials state the inquiry could require approximately a month.

Shortcomings Uncovered

Multiple inhabitants have reported they failed to hear a smoke detector when the blaze started. Local firefighters discovered that alarms in all eight blocks were not working effectively.

The city's construction authority has put on hold works on three dozen private developments.

Calls for Inquiry and Arrests

Additionally, officers took into custody a 24-year-old man on allegations of sedition on Saturday. He was involved with a gathering petitioning for an separate review into the tragedy. An internet-based appeal amassed more than 10,000 supporters in under 24 hours before its contents were wiped.

Two other people, including a past council member, were also detained by authorities, as reported by press accounts.

International Reaction

The human rights organization and The monitoring body have both criticised the alleged detentions.

"The moment has come for the city's officials to transparently investigate the reasons of the devastating fire...rather than silencing those who ask legitimate questions," stated the organization.

Historical Context and Demographics

Wang Fuk Court was completed in the early 1980s and had offered close to 2,000 units for some 4,600 residents, according to a population count.

Almost four in ten of its residents are estimated to be at least 65 years of age. Some have resided in the government-supported development from its inception.

Hong Kong's second-worst blaze on file took 176 people in the mid-20th century and was caused by a ground-floor explosion at a multi-story storage facility. The deadliest was at Happy Valley Racecourse in the early 1900s, when over 600 individuals died.