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Hong Kong's chief executive, John Lee, has mandated the establishment of an autonomous task force to investigate the cause of a devastating fire that claimed the lives of 151 people.

A Blaze of Unprecedented Scale

Last Wednesday, most of the apartment buildings at the estate—which had been undergoing major refurbishment—were engulfed by fire. Authorities later discovered that safety scaffolding mesh surrounding the buildings failed to meet fire safety regulations.

At least 13 people have been taken into custody over alleged culpable homicide, including the executives of a construction company.

"It is a terrible tragedy, the fire was immense. Reform is necessary. Yes, we have identified failures in different stages. That is exactly why we must take decisive action to ensure that all these gaps are plucked," he said.

Investigation and Aftermath

The inferno—which spread quickly both vertically and between the blocks—was not completely extinguished by Friday morning, around 40 hours after it started, and required in excess of 2,000 firefighters to subdue.

On that day, officers commenced entry into the buildings to gather evidence. Officials state the probe could last several weeks.

Shortcomings Uncovered

Several residents have reported they failed to hear a emergency siren when the fire erupted. Local firefighters found that warning systems in each building were malfunctioning.

The city's construction authority has halted for now renovation projects on three dozen private developments.

Calls for Inquiry and Arrests

In a related development, officers took into custody a young man on charges related to sedition on Saturday. He was among a gathering petitioning for an autonomous investigation into the tragedy. An internet-based appeal gathered more than 10,000 endorsements in under 24 hours before its information was removed.

A pair of additional persons, among them a former district councillor, were also questioned by police, according to news outlets.

International Reaction

The human rights organization and The monitoring body have both denounced the said apprehensions.

"The moment has come for the city's officials to thoroughly and publicly probe the reasons of the catastrophic blaze...rather than muzzling those who raise appropriate concerns," Amnesty International said.

Historical Context and Demographics

The residential complex was constructed in the early 1980s and had supplied close to 2,000 units for approximately 4,600 occupants, according to a 2021 government census.

Nearly 40% of its occupants are believed to be at least 65 years old. A number have been occupants of the government-supported development from its inception.

The city's second-worst blaze on record took 176 individuals in 1948 and was the result of a ground-floor explosion at a five-storey warehouse. The most deadly was at a local racetrack in the early 1900s, when more than 600 people lost their lives.