🔗 Share this article Hong Kong Leader Directs Investigation into Fatal Fire that Took 151 Hong Kong's chief executive, John Lee, has directed the formation of an autonomous task force to probe the origins of a tragic inferno that claimed the lives of 151 individuals. Footage depicts speed 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—that was in the midst of major refurbishment—were engulfed by fire. Investigators have since found that construction site netting surrounding the buildings fell short of flame retardant standards. No fewer than 13 people have been arrested for potential negligent homicide, among them the executives of a construction company. "This is indeed a tragedy, it is a major blaze. Yes, we need reform. Failures have been detected in various phases. This is precisely the reason 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 vertically and from building to building—was not completely extinguished by Friday morning, around 40 hours after it started, and required over 2,000 fire service personnel to contain. The same day, authorities started accessing the buildings to secure proof. Officials state the investigation could require approximately a month. The fire is the deadliest the metropolis has witnessed in more than 70 years. Shortcomings Uncovered Several residents have said they were not alerted by a emergency siren when the blaze started. Hong Kong's fire service discovered that alarms in every tower were operating inadequately. The city's construction authority has temporarily suspended works on 30 private projects. Calls for Inquiry and Arrests In a related development, authorities are said to have arrested a 24-year-old man on allegations of sedition on the weekend. He was among a gathering petitioning for an separate review into the tragedy. An digital signature drive amassed in excess of 10,000 endorsements in less than a day before its information was removed. A pair of additional persons, comprising a former district councillor, were also taken in by officers, according to press accounts. The city's leader John Lee said that the inquiry would be led by a judicial officer. International Reaction The human rights organization and The monitoring body have both denounced the alleged detentions. "Now is the time for the Hong Kong authorities to openly examine the reasons of the devastating fire...as opposed to silencing those who ask legitimate questions," Amnesty International said. Background and Resident Profile The housing estate was completed in the early 1980s and had offered nearly two thousand flats for approximately 4,600 inhabitants, according to a recent official survey. Approximately 40 percent of its residents are estimated to be over 65 years old. A number have lived in the public housing complex since its construction. The city's second-most fatal incident on in history took 176 people in 1948 and was triggered by a ground-floor explosion at a five-storey warehouse. The deadliest was at Happy Valley Racecourse in 1918, when over 600 attendees died.