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The city's chief executive, John Lee, has mandated the establishment of an independent committee to probe the origins of a devastating fire that took a minimum of 151 residents.

A Fire of Historic Proportions

Last Wednesday, the majority of the tower blocks at the Wang Fuk Court—which was subject to major refurbishment—were consumed by a blaze. Investigators have since found that construction site netting installed on the buildings did not comply with fire safety regulations.

At least 13 individuals have been detained on suspicion of alleged culpable homicide, among them the executives of a building firm.

"It is a terrible tragedy, it is a big fire. Changes are required. Failures have been detected in various phases. That is exactly why we must respond rigorously to make certain all these deficiencies are addressed," remarked Mr. Lee.

Investigation and Aftermath

The blaze—that propagated rapidly both vertically and from building to building—was finally put out by Friday morning, around 40 hours after it began, and took in excess of 2,000 emergency responders to contain.

The same day, police began entering the buildings to collect forensic material. Authorities say the investigation could require approximately a month.

Shortcomings Uncovered

Several residents have said they were not alerted by a fire alarm when the incident broke out. The city's fire department found that detection devices in every tower were not working effectively.

The city's construction authority has temporarily suspended renovation projects on 30 private projects.

Demands for Probe and Detentions

Separately, authorities are said to have arrested a individual on suspicion of subversion on Saturday. He was among a gathering demanding an separate review into the fire. An digital signature drive amassed over 10,000 supporters in less than a day before its page was taken down.

A pair of additional persons, including a past council member, were also questioned by officers, according to local media reports.

Global Response

The human rights organization and Human Rights Watch have both condemned the said apprehensions.

"This is the occasion for the city's officials to thoroughly and publicly probe the causes of the catastrophic blaze...instead of silencing those who pose valid inquiries," stated the organization.

Historical Context and Demographics

The housing estate was constructed in 1983 and had offered nearly two thousand flats for some 4,600 residents, according to a population count.

Almost four in ten of its inhabitants are believed to be older than 65 years old. Some have resided in the public housing complex since its construction.

The city's second-deadliest fire on record killed 176 lives in 1948 and was triggered by a blast on the lower level at a commercial building. The deadliest was at Happy Valley Racecourse in 1918, when in excess of 600 individuals died.