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Hong Kong's leader, John Lee, has mandated the establishment of an autonomous task force to investigate the cause of a devastating fire that killed at least 151 individuals.

A Blaze of Unprecedented Scale

This past Wednesday, most of the residential blocks at the estate—which had been undergoing significant upgrades—went up in flames. A probe subsequently revealed that construction site netting installed on the buildings failed to meet requirements for fire resistance.

No fewer than 13 suspects have been taken into custody over potential negligent homicide, among them the senior figures of a contractor.

"It is a terrible tragedy, it is a major blaze. Changes are required. We have uncovered shortcomings in multiple areas. That is exactly why we must act seriously to make certain all these gaps are plucked," he said.

The Probe and Its Consequences

The blaze—that propagated rapidly both vertically and from building to building—was only fully doused by Friday morning, around 40 hours after it ignited, and took more than 2,000 firefighters to contain.

On that day, police began entering the buildings to gather evidence. The government indicates the investigation could require several weeks.

Shortcomings Uncovered

A number of occupants have said they failed to hear a smoke detector when the fire broke out. Hong Kong's fire service determined that warning systems in all eight blocks were operating inadequately.

The relevant regulatory body has put on hold renovation projects on numerous private sites.

Calls for Inquiry and Arrests

Separately, officers took into custody a 24-year-old man on charges related to incitement on Saturday. He was among a collective calling for an autonomous investigation into the tragedy. An digital signature drive amassed more than 10,000 endorsements in under 24 hours before its information was removed.

Two other people, comprising a ex-local representative, were also detained by officers, per news outlets.

International Reaction

Amnesty International and Another watchdog have both denounced the alleged detentions.

"This is the occasion for the Hong Kong authorities to openly examine the causes of the devastating fire...instead of silencing those who raise appropriate concerns," remarked the group.

Historical Context and Demographics

The housing estate was constructed in the early 1980s and had supplied close to 2,000 units for approximately 4,600 occupants, per a recent official survey.

Almost four in ten of its inhabitants are thought to be at least 65 years old. Some have resided in the subsidised housing estate from its inception.

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 five-storey warehouse. The worst was at a local racetrack in the early 1900s, when over 600 attendees perished.