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The city's chief executive, John Lee, has mandated the establishment of an autonomous task force to investigate the cause of a catastrophic blaze that claimed the lives of 151 people.

A Fire of Historic Proportions

This past Wednesday, the majority of the tower blocks at the housing complex—which was subject to extensive renovations—went up in flames. Authorities later discovered that protective netting surrounding the buildings failed to meet flame retardant standards.

No fewer than 13 individuals have been detained on suspicion of alleged culpable homicide, comprising the directors of a construction company.

"This is indeed a tragedy, it is a major blaze. Changes are required. Yes, we have identified failures in various phases. This is precisely the reason we must respond rigorously to make certain all these loopholes are eliminated," remarked Mr. Lee.

The Probe and Its Consequences

The fire—which spread quickly both vertically and between the blocks—was finally put out by the morning of Friday, approximately two days after it started, and necessitated more than 2,000 emergency responders to contain.

That very day, authorities started accessing the buildings to secure proof. The government indicates the investigation could last several weeks.

Systemic Failures Identified

Multiple inhabitants have reported they were not alerted by a fire alarm when the blaze erupted. Hong Kong's fire service determined that detection devices in every tower were not working effectively.

Hong Kong's buildings department has put on hold works on three dozen private developments.

Calls for Inquiry and Arrests

Additionally, officers took into custody a young man on allegations of sedition on Saturday. He was among a collective calling for an autonomous investigation into the fire. An online petition amassed over 10,000 supporters in under 24 hours before its contents were wiped.

A pair of additional persons, including a former district councillor, were also detained by officers, according to news outlets.

Global Response

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

"This is the occasion for the local government to transparently investigate the origins of the tragic incident...instead of muzzling those who ask legitimate questions," Amnesty International said.

Historical Context and Demographics

The residential complex was built in 1983 and had offered 1,984 apartments for some 4,600 residents, per a population count.

Nearly 40% of its residents are thought to be over 65 years of age. Some have resided in the public housing complex since its construction.

The city's second-most fatal incident on file killed 176 individuals in 1948 and was triggered by a blast on the lower level at a commercial building. The most deadly was at a local racetrack in 1918, when over 600 people died.