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Hong Kong's chief executive, John Lee, has directed the formation of an separate inquiry panel to probe the origins of a tragic inferno that took a minimum of 151 people.

A Fire of Historic Proportions

This past Wednesday, seven of eight tower blocks at the estate—which had been undergoing significant upgrades—went up in flames. Investigators have since found that safety scaffolding mesh surrounding the buildings fell short of fire safety regulations.

No fewer than 13 individuals have been detained on suspicion of potential negligent homicide, comprising the executives of a contractor.

"Yes, it is a tragedy, it is a major blaze. Changes are required. We have uncovered shortcomings in different stages. Hence we must act seriously to guarantee all these deficiencies are addressed," he said.

Investigation and Aftermath

The fire—that propagated rapidly both vertically and between the blocks—was finally put out by the morning of Friday, some 40 hours after it ignited, and required over 2,000 fire service personnel to bring under control.

The same day, officers commenced entry into the buildings to gather evidence. The government indicates the probe could take several weeks.

Systemic Failures Identified

A number of occupants have reported they failed to hear a fire alarm when the fire started. Hong Kong's fire service found that warning systems in all eight blocks were operating inadequately.

The relevant regulatory body has put on hold renovation projects on numerous private sites.

Calls for Inquiry and Arrests

In a related development, authorities are said to have arrested a young man on allegations of subversion on the weekend. He was part of a collective demanding an autonomous investigation into the blaze. An digital signature drive gathered over 10,000 signatures in a very short time before its contents were wiped.

Two other people, including a former district councillor, were also detained by police, as reported by local media reports.

Global Response

Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch have both denounced the reported arrests.

"The moment has come for the city's officials to transparently investigate the origins of the devastating fire...rather than muzzling those who ask legitimate questions," Amnesty International said.

Background and Resident Profile

The housing estate was completed in 1983 and had offered 1,984 apartments for approximately 4,600 occupants, per a population count.

Almost four in ten of its residents are believed to be over 65 years of age. Several have resided in the subsidised housing estate since it was built.

The city's second-deadliest fire on in history took 176 people in the mid-20th century and was the result of a detonation at street level at a multi-story storage facility. The deadliest was at a sporting venue in 1918, when in excess of 600 attendees died.