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The city's leader, John Lee, has ordered the creation of an separate inquiry panel to probe the origins of a catastrophic blaze that killed at least 151 people.

A Blaze of Unprecedented Scale

Last Wednesday, seven of eight residential blocks at the estate—which had been undergoing major refurbishment—went up in flames. A probe subsequently revealed that safety scaffolding mesh surrounding the buildings failed to meet fire safety regulations.

At least 13 individuals have been taken into custody over alleged culpable homicide, among them the directors of a contractor.

"It is a terrible tragedy, it is a major blaze. Yes, we need reform. We have uncovered shortcomings in various phases. Hence we must take decisive action to guarantee all these gaps are eliminated," remarked Mr. Lee.

Investigation and Aftermath

The fire—that propagated rapidly both upwards and from building to building—was not completely extinguished by the morning of Friday, around 40 hours after it began, and took in excess of 2,000 fire service personnel to contain.

That very day, officers commenced entry into the buildings to secure proof. Officials state the inquiry could require approximately a month.

Systemic Failures Identified

A number of occupants have reported they did not hear a fire alarm when the fire broke out. The city's fire department determined that alarms in each building were operating inadequately.

The city's construction authority has temporarily suspended renovation projects on 30 private projects.

Demands for Probe and Detentions

In a related development, authorities are said to have arrested a young man on allegations of subversion on Saturday. He was part of a gathering demanding an independent inquiry into the blaze. An internet-based appeal collected more than 10,000 signatures in a very short time before its page was taken down.

Another two individuals, among them a former district councillor, were also taken in by police, per local media reports.

International Reaction

Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch have both denounced the said apprehensions.

"This is the occasion for the local government to thoroughly and publicly probe the reasons of the catastrophic blaze...rather than muzzling those who ask legitimate questions," Amnesty International said.

Historical Context and Demographics

The housing estate was completed in the early 1980s and had offered close to 2,000 units for approximately 4,600 residents, per a 2021 government census.

Nearly 40% of its occupants are believed to be at least 65 years old. A number have lived in the subsidised housing estate since it was built.

The city's second-most fatal incident on record took 176 lives in 1948 and was caused by a ground-floor explosion at a five-storey warehouse. The worst was at a local racetrack in 1918, when more than 600 people died.