🔗 Share this article The city's Leader Directs Probe into Deadly Blaze that Took 151 The city's leader, John Lee, has directed the formation of an independent committee to investigate the cause of a catastrophic blaze that killed at least 151 people. Images reveals rapid pace of flames advancing in Hong Kong residential tower. A Fire of Historic Proportions Last Wednesday, the majority of the residential blocks at the housing complex—which had been undergoing extensive renovations—went up in flames. A probe subsequently revealed that safety scaffolding mesh installed on the buildings fell short of flame retardant standards. At least 13 individuals have been arrested for suspected manslaughter, among them the executives of a building firm. "This is indeed a tragedy, it is a major blaze. Changes are required. Failures have been detected in multiple areas. This is precisely the reason we must respond rigorously to ensure that all these gaps are addressed," remarked Mr. Lee. Investigation and Aftermath The blaze—that propagated rapidly both vertically and across the separate towers—was not completely extinguished by the morning of Friday, some 40 hours after it began, and necessitated over 2,000 fire service personnel to contain. On that day, police began entering the buildings to gather evidence. Officials state the investigation could take three to four weeks. This blaze is the deadliest the city has witnessed in over 70 years. Systemic Failures Identified Several residents have reported they were not alerted by a emergency siren when the blaze erupted. Local firefighters found that alarms in each building were malfunctioning. Hong Kong's buildings department has halted for now renovation projects on 30 private projects. Demands for Probe and Detentions Separately, authorities are said to have arrested a young man on suspicion of sedition on the weekend. He was among a collective petitioning for an separate review into the blaze. An online petition gathered over 10,000 supporters in less than a day before its page was taken down. Another two individuals, including a former district councillor, were also taken in by officers, according to press accounts. Chief executive John Lee said that the inquiry would be headed by a judicial officer. Global Response The human rights organization and Another watchdog have both criticised the alleged detentions. "Now is the time for the Hong Kong authorities to openly examine the origins of the catastrophic blaze...rather than muzzling those who raise appropriate concerns," remarked the group. Background and Resident Profile The residential complex was constructed in 1983 and had offered nearly two thousand flats for around 4,600 occupants, per a recent official survey. Approximately 40 percent of its occupants are thought to be over 65 years old. Some have lived in the public housing complex since it was built. The city's second-deadliest fire on record took 176 individuals in the mid-20th century and was caused by a blast on the lower level at a multi-story storage facility. The worst was at a local racetrack in 1918, when more than 600 attendees perished.