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

A Fire of Historic Proportions

Last Wednesday, most of the apartment buildings at the estate—that was in the midst of major refurbishment—were engulfed by fire. Authorities later discovered that safety scaffolding mesh installed on the buildings did not comply with requirements for fire resistance.

A minimum of 13 individuals have been arrested for alleged culpable homicide, among them the directors of a building firm.

"This is indeed a tragedy, it is a major blaze. Changes are required. Failures have been detected in different stages. This is precisely the reason we must act seriously to make certain all these deficiencies are eliminated," remarked Mr. Lee.

Investigation and Aftermath

The inferno—advancing with speed both vertically and from building to building—was finally put out by Friday morning, approximately two days after it started, and necessitated in excess of 2,000 fire service personnel to subdue.

On that day, police began entering the buildings to secure proof. Authorities say the probe could last approximately a month.

Systemic Failures Identified

Several residents have said they failed to hear a fire alarm when the incident started. Hong Kong's fire service determined that alarms in all eight blocks were malfunctioning.

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

Calls for Inquiry and Arrests

Separately, authorities are said to have arrested a individual on allegations of subversion on the weekend. He was part of a group petitioning for an independent inquiry into the fire. An online petition amassed over 10,000 signatures in a very short time before its page was taken down.

Two other people, among them a ex-local representative, were also detained by authorities, per local media reports.

International Reaction

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

"This is the occasion for the Hong Kong authorities to openly examine the causes of the tragic incident...as opposed to silencing those who ask legitimate questions," remarked the group.

Background and Resident Profile

The residential complex was constructed in 1983 and had provided 1,984 apartments for some 4,600 inhabitants, per a population count.

Nearly 40% of its occupants are estimated to be at least 65 years of age. Several have been occupants of the subsidised housing estate since it was built.

The city's second-deadliest fire on in history killed 176 lives in the mid-20th century and was the result of a ground-floor explosion at a multi-story storage facility. The deadliest was at a sporting venue in 1918, when over 600 attendees perished.