🔗 Share this article Hong Kong Leader Orders Investigation into Fatal Inferno that Claimed Lives of 151 The city's chief executive, John Lee, has ordered the creation of an separate inquiry panel to examine the reasons of a catastrophic blaze that killed at least 151 residents. Images shows rapid pace of fire spread in the city's high-rise. A Blaze of Unprecedented Scale On Wednesday last week, most of the apartment buildings at the estate—which had been undergoing major refurbishment—were consumed by a blaze. Authorities later discovered that safety scaffolding mesh used around the buildings failed to meet flame retardant standards. At least 13 people have been detained on suspicion of alleged culpable homicide, comprising the directors of a building firm. "Yes, it is a tragedy, it is a major blaze. Changes are required. We have uncovered shortcomings in different stages. Hence we must take decisive action to ensure that all these loopholes are plucked," stated the leader. Investigation and Aftermath The fire—which spread quickly both upwards and between the blocks—was not completely extinguished by the end of the week, approximately two days after it started, and took over 2,000 fire service personnel to subdue. That very day, officers commenced entry into the buildings to collect forensic material. The government indicates the investigation could take three to four weeks. The fire is the deadliest the city has witnessed in more than 70 decades. Systemic Failures Identified Several residents have stated they failed to hear a fire alarm when the incident erupted. Local firefighters determined that warning systems in all eight blocks were operating inadequately. Hong Kong's buildings department has temporarily suspended works on numerous private sites. Calls for Inquiry and Arrests Separately, police reportedly detained a individual on allegations of subversion on Saturday. He was involved with a collective petitioning for an independent inquiry into the fire. An online petition amassed over 10,000 signatures in less than a day before its contents were wiped. Two other people, comprising a former district councillor, were also questioned by officers, as reported by news outlets. Chief executive John Lee announced that the inquiry would be chaired by a judicial officer. Global Response The human rights organization and Another watchdog have both condemned the alleged detentions. "This is the occasion for the Hong Kong authorities to thoroughly and publicly probe the reasons of the devastating fire...rather than muzzling those who raise appropriate concerns," stated the organization. Background and Resident Profile The housing estate was completed in the early 1980s and had supplied 1,984 apartments for approximately 4,600 residents, according to a population count. Almost four in ten of its occupants are believed to be over 65 years of age. Several have lived in the government-supported development from its inception. The city's second-deadliest fire on record claimed 176 individuals in 1948 and was the result of a blast on the lower level at a multi-story storage facility. The worst was at Happy Valley Racecourse in 1918, when more than 600 attendees died.