🔗 Share this article The city's Chief Executive Orders Investigation into Fatal Inferno that Claimed Lives of 151 The city's chief executive, John Lee, has mandated the establishment of an autonomous task force to probe the origins of a tragic inferno that claimed the lives of 151 individuals. Video depicts rapid pace of blaze propagation in the city's tower block. A Fire of Historic Proportions On Wednesday last week, most of the tower blocks at the estate—which was subject to significant upgrades—were engulfed by fire. Investigators have since found that protective netting surrounding the buildings failed to meet requirements for fire resistance. A minimum of 13 individuals have been arrested for alleged culpable homicide, among them the executives of a construction company. "This is indeed a tragedy, it is a major blaze. Changes are required. We have uncovered shortcomings in various phases. That is exactly why we must act seriously to make certain all these loopholes are addressed," stated the leader. Investigation and Aftermath The fire—that propagated rapidly both upwards and between the blocks—was finally put out by the morning of Friday, approximately two days after it began, and required in excess of 2,000 fire service personnel to subdue. That very day, police began entering the buildings to secure proof. Authorities say the inquiry could last approximately a month. The inferno is the worst the metropolis has seen in more than 70 decades. Shortcomings Uncovered A number of occupants have said they were not alerted by a emergency siren when the fire erupted. Hong Kong's fire service determined that detection devices in all eight blocks were operating inadequately. The city's construction authority has halted for now renovation projects on numerous private sites. Calls for Inquiry and Arrests In a related development, police reportedly detained a young man on charges related to sedition on Saturday. He was involved with a gathering calling for an autonomous investigation into the blaze. An internet-based appeal gathered in excess of 10,000 supporters in under 24 hours before its page was taken down. Two other people, comprising a past council member, were also detained by police, as reported by local media reports. Chief executive John Lee stated that the inquiry would be headed by a member of the judiciary. International Reaction Amnesty International and Another watchdog have both criticised the said apprehensions. "This is the occasion for the Hong Kong authorities to transparently investigate the causes of the devastating fire...instead of muzzling those who pose valid inquiries," Amnesty International said. Background and Resident Profile The housing estate was constructed in the early 1980s and had offered 1,984 apartments for approximately 4,600 inhabitants, per a recent official survey. Approximately 40 percent of its residents are believed to be older than 65 years old. Some have been occupants of the government-supported development since its construction. Hong Kong's second-worst blaze on file killed 176 people in the mid-20th century and was triggered by a blast on the lower level at a commercial building. The deadliest was at a local racetrack in the early 1900s, when in excess of 600 people perished.