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Hong Kong's leader, John Lee, has ordered the creation of an autonomous task force to examine the reasons of a catastrophic blaze that killed at least 151 individuals.

A Blaze of Unprecedented Scale

This past Wednesday, seven of eight tower blocks at the estate—which was subject to major refurbishment—were consumed by a blaze. Authorities later discovered that safety scaffolding mesh installed on the buildings failed to meet fire safety regulations.

No fewer than 13 people have been arrested for alleged culpable homicide, among them the senior figures of a building firm.

"Yes, it is a tragedy, it is a major blaze. Reform is necessary. We have uncovered shortcomings in various phases. Hence we must act seriously to guarantee all these gaps are addressed," stated the leader.

The Probe and Its Consequences

The blaze—advancing with speed both upwards and across the separate towers—was only fully doused by the end of the week, approximately two days after it started, and required in excess of 2,000 emergency responders to contain.

That very day, police began entering the buildings to collect forensic material. Officials state the investigation could last approximately a month.

Systemic Failures Identified

Several residents have reported they were not alerted by a fire alarm when the incident broke out. Hong Kong's fire service found that alarms in each building were operating inadequately.

Hong Kong's buildings department has put on hold works on 30 private projects.

Demands for Probe and Detentions

Additionally, officers took into custody a young man on charges related to sedition on the weekend. He was part of a collective demanding an independent inquiry into the blaze. An internet-based appeal collected in excess of 10,000 supporters in less than a day before its contents were wiped.

A pair of additional persons, among them a past council member, were also questioned by authorities, as reported by press accounts.

International Reaction

The human rights organization and Human Rights Watch have both denounced the said apprehensions.

"The moment has come for the Hong Kong authorities to thoroughly and publicly probe the causes of the devastating fire...instead of silencing those who pose valid inquiries," stated the organization.

Historical Context and Demographics

The housing estate was built in the early 1980s and had supplied 1,984 apartments for approximately 4,600 residents, according to a population count.

Nearly 40% of its occupants are believed to be older than 65 years old. A number have resided in the subsidised housing estate since it was built.

Hong Kong's second-deadliest fire on file claimed 176 lives in the mid-20th century and was triggered by a detonation at street level at a multi-story storage facility. The deadliest was at a sporting venue in 1918, when more than 600 people died.