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Hong Kong's chief executive, John Lee, has ordered the creation of an separate inquiry panel to probe the origins of a catastrophic blaze that killed at least 151 people.

A Blaze of Unprecedented Scale

This past Wednesday, seven of eight tower blocks at the housing complex—which had been undergoing major refurbishment—were consumed by a blaze. Authorities later discovered that construction site netting surrounding the buildings fell short of flame retardant standards.

A minimum of 13 suspects have been taken into custody over suspected manslaughter, among them the directors of a contractor.

"This is indeed a tragedy, it is a major blaze. Yes, we need reform. Yes, we have identified failures in multiple areas. That is exactly why we must act seriously to make certain all these deficiencies are addressed," remarked Mr. Lee.

Investigation and Aftermath

The fire—that propagated rapidly both upwards and from building to building—was finally put out by the morning of Friday, some 40 hours after it started, and necessitated more than 2,000 emergency responders to bring under control.

On that day, authorities started accessing the buildings to collect forensic material. Officials state the probe could take three to four weeks.

Shortcomings Uncovered

A number of occupants have reported they did not hear a smoke detector when the blaze broke out. Local firefighters found that warning systems in all eight blocks were operating inadequately.

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

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 group demanding an separate review into the tragedy. An online petition gathered over 10,000 signatures in less than a day before its information was removed.

A pair of additional persons, comprising a former district councillor, were also questioned by officers, per local media reports.

International Reaction

Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch have both criticised the alleged detentions.

"The moment has come for the city's officials to openly examine the reasons of the tragic incident...instead of muzzling those who raise appropriate concerns," remarked the group.

Background and Resident Profile

The housing estate was constructed in 1983 and had provided 1,984 apartments for approximately 4,600 inhabitants, based on a population count.

Almost four in ten of its inhabitants are thought to be at least 65 years old. A number have resided in the public housing complex from its inception.

The city's second-worst blaze on in history claimed 176 lives in the mid-20th century and was caused by a detonation at street level at a commercial building. The most deadly was at a local racetrack in the early 1900s, when over 600 individuals died.