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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 individuals.

A Fire of Historic Proportions

On Wednesday last week, seven of eight apartment buildings at the Wang Fuk Court—that was in the midst of major refurbishment—were engulfed by fire. Investigators have since found that protective netting surrounding the buildings failed to meet fire safety regulations.

At least 13 people have been taken into custody over alleged culpable homicide, among them the directors of a building firm.

"This is indeed a tragedy, the fire was immense. Changes are required. Yes, we have identified failures in different stages. Hence we must act seriously to ensure that all these gaps are eliminated," he said.

The Probe and Its Consequences

The fire—that propagated rapidly both vertically and from building to building—was not completely extinguished by the morning of Friday, approximately two days after it began, and took in excess of 2,000 emergency responders to bring under control.

The same day, police began entering the buildings to collect forensic material. The government indicates the investigation could last three to four weeks.

Systemic Failures Identified

A number of occupants have reported they did not hear a fire alarm when the blaze started. Local firefighters found that alarms in every tower were not working effectively.

The city's construction authority has put on hold renovation projects on numerous private sites.

Demands for Probe and Detentions

In a related development, police reportedly detained a individual on charges related to sedition on the weekend. He was among a gathering petitioning for an autonomous investigation into the tragedy. An digital signature drive collected more than 10,000 endorsements in less than a day before its contents were wiped.

Another two individuals, among them a ex-local representative, were also questioned by officers, as reported by press accounts.

International Reaction

The rights group and Human Rights Watch have both condemned the reported arrests.

"This is the occasion for the local government to openly examine the reasons of the catastrophic blaze...as opposed to suppressing those who pose valid inquiries," Amnesty International said.

Historical Context and Demographics

The residential complex was built in 1983 and had offered nearly two thousand flats for approximately 4,600 occupants, according to a population count.

Approximately 40 percent of its residents are estimated to be at least 65 years old. A number have been occupants of the public housing complex since its construction.

Hong Kong's second-deadliest fire on file took 176 lives in 1948 and was the result of a detonation at street level at a commercial building. The most deadly was at a local racetrack in the early 1900s, when in excess of 600 people died.