🔗 Share this article The city's Chief Executive Orders Probe into Deadly Inferno that Took 151 The city's leader, John Lee, has mandated the establishment of an separate inquiry panel to probe the origins of a devastating fire that claimed the lives of 151 residents. Images depicts velocity of blaze propagation in Hong Kong tower block. A Blaze of Unprecedented Scale Last Wednesday, seven of eight tower blocks at the estate—that was in the midst of major refurbishment—were consumed by a blaze. Authorities later discovered that safety scaffolding mesh installed on the buildings failed to meet fire safety regulations. A minimum of 13 people have been detained on suspicion of potential negligent homicide, including the senior figures of a construction company. "It is a terrible tragedy, it is a major blaze. Changes are required. Failures have been detected in multiple areas. That is exactly why we must take decisive action to make certain all these gaps are addressed," he said. The Probe and Its Consequences The blaze—which spread quickly both upwards and across the separate towers—was finally put out by the end of the week, around 40 hours after it started, and took in excess of 2,000 firefighters to subdue. That very day, police began entering the buildings to secure proof. Officials state the investigation could require three to four weeks. The inferno is the worst the metropolis has experienced in exceeding 70 years. Systemic Failures Identified Multiple inhabitants have said they failed to hear a emergency siren when the blaze broke out. Hong Kong's fire service determined that alarms in each building were not working effectively. The relevant regulatory body has halted for now construction activities on 30 private projects. Calls for Inquiry and Arrests Separately, authorities are said to have arrested a young man on allegations of subversion on Saturday. He was part of a gathering calling for an separate review into the blaze. An digital signature drive gathered over 10,000 supporters in a very short time before its contents were wiped. A pair of additional persons, comprising a past council member, were also questioned by officers, per local media reports. Chief executive John Lee stated that the committee would be chaired by a judge. Global Response The human rights organization and The monitoring body have both denounced the alleged detentions. "This is the occasion for the Hong Kong authorities to transparently investigate the origins of the devastating fire...instead of muzzling those who ask legitimate questions," stated the organization. Historical Context and Demographics The housing estate was built in 1983 and had offered nearly two thousand flats for approximately 4,600 inhabitants, per a recent official survey. Nearly 40% of its residents are believed to be over 65 years of age. Some have resided in the subsidised housing estate from its inception. Hong Kong's second-worst blaze on in history took 176 individuals in 1948 and was triggered by a blast on the lower level at a commercial building. The most deadly was at Happy Valley Racecourse in 1918, when over 600 people died.