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Hong Kong's chief executive, John Lee, has mandated the establishment of an autonomous task force to examine the reasons of a catastrophic blaze that claimed the lives of 151 residents.

A Blaze of Unprecedented Scale

This past Wednesday, the majority of the residential blocks at the housing complex—which was subject to extensive renovations—went up in flames. A probe subsequently revealed that safety scaffolding mesh used around the buildings did not comply with requirements for fire resistance.

No fewer than 13 suspects have been detained on suspicion of potential negligent homicide, including the executives of a construction company.

"It is a terrible tragedy, it is a major blaze. Reform is necessary. Yes, we have identified failures in various phases. Hence we must take decisive action to guarantee all these gaps are addressed," he said.

Investigation and Aftermath

The inferno—which spread quickly both upwards and across the separate towers—was finally put out by the end of the week, approximately two days after it ignited, and necessitated in excess of 2,000 firefighters to contain.

The same day, authorities started accessing the buildings to gather evidence. The government indicates the inquiry could last three to four weeks.

Systemic Failures Identified

A number of occupants have said they were not alerted by a fire alarm when the blaze started. The city's fire department found that alarms in each building were not working effectively.

Hong Kong's buildings department has put on hold works on numerous private sites.

Calls for Inquiry and Arrests

Additionally, authorities are said to have arrested a young man on suspicion of sedition on the weekend. He was involved with a gathering petitioning for an separate review into the blaze. An online petition collected over 10,000 signatures in less than a day before its contents were wiped.

Two other people, among them a ex-local representative, were also taken in by officers, according to press accounts.

International Reaction

The rights group and Human Rights Watch have both condemned the said apprehensions.

"The moment has come for the city's officials to openly examine the reasons of the tragic incident...instead of silencing those who pose valid inquiries," Amnesty International said.

Historical Context and Demographics

The residential complex was built in the early 1980s and had offered 1,984 apartments for around 4,600 inhabitants, based on a recent official survey.

Approximately 40 percent of its inhabitants are estimated to be older than 65 years of age. A number have lived in the public housing complex from its inception.

Hong Kong's second-deadliest fire on file claimed 176 people in 1948 and was the result of a blast on the lower level at a multi-story storage facility. The most deadly was at Happy Valley Racecourse in the early 1900s, when over 600 attendees lost their lives.