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Hong Kong's leader, John Lee, has ordered the creation of an autonomous task force to investigate the cause of a catastrophic blaze that claimed the lives of 151 people.

A Blaze of Unprecedented Scale

Last Wednesday, most of the residential blocks at the housing complex—which was subject to extensive renovations—were engulfed by fire. Investigators have since found that safety scaffolding mesh surrounding the buildings did not comply with flame retardant standards.

A minimum of 13 people have been arrested for potential negligent homicide, comprising the directors of a contractor.

"Yes, it is a tragedy, it is a big fire. Yes, we need reform. Failures have been detected in multiple areas. This is precisely the reason we must respond rigorously to guarantee all these deficiencies are plucked," remarked Mr. Lee.

The Probe and Its Consequences

The blaze—advancing with speed both vertically and from building to building—was finally put out by the morning of Friday, approximately two days after it ignited, and necessitated more than 2,000 emergency responders to subdue.

That very day, police began entering the buildings to secure proof. The government indicates the investigation could take several weeks.

Shortcomings Uncovered

Several residents have reported they were not alerted by a emergency siren when the blaze broke out. Hong Kong's fire service found that warning systems in every tower were not working effectively.

The city's construction authority has temporarily suspended works on three dozen private developments.

Calls for Inquiry and Arrests

In a related development, authorities are said to have arrested a individual on charges related to subversion on the weekend. He was among a collective calling for an autonomous investigation into the blaze. An digital signature drive gathered over 10,000 endorsements in a very short time before its page was taken down.

Two other people, including a ex-local representative, were also taken in by police, according to news outlets.

Global Response

Amnesty International and The monitoring body have both criticised the reported arrests.

"Now is the time for the local government to thoroughly and publicly probe the reasons of the tragic incident...instead of suppressing those who raise appropriate concerns," Amnesty International said.

Background and Resident Profile

The housing estate was constructed in the early 1980s and had offered 1,984 apartments for some 4,600 inhabitants, according to a population count.

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

The city's second-worst blaze on in history killed 176 individuals in 1948 and was the result of a ground-floor explosion at a commercial building. The most deadly was at a local racetrack in 1918, when in excess of 600 people lost their lives.