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The city's chief executive, John Lee, has mandated the establishment of an independent committee to investigate the cause of a tragic inferno that took a minimum of 151 people.

A Blaze of Unprecedented Scale

On Wednesday last week, the majority of the residential blocks at the housing complex—which was subject to significant upgrades—went up in flames. Authorities later discovered that protective netting used around the buildings failed to meet fire safety regulations.

No fewer than 13 people have been detained on suspicion of suspected manslaughter, among them the directors of a building firm.

"It is a terrible tragedy, it is a major blaze. Reform is necessary. Yes, we have identified failures in multiple areas. This is precisely the reason we must take decisive action to make certain all these deficiencies are addressed," stated the leader.

Investigation and Aftermath

The blaze—which spread quickly both vertically and across the separate towers—was only fully doused by the end of the week, around 40 hours after it started, and required in excess of 2,000 firefighters to contain.

On that day, officers commenced entry into the buildings to gather evidence. The government indicates the probe could last several weeks.

Shortcomings Uncovered

Several residents have said they were not alerted by a fire alarm when the fire started. Local firefighters determined that alarms in every tower were malfunctioning.

The city's construction authority has halted for now works on 30 private projects.

Calls for Inquiry and Arrests

Separately, authorities are said to have arrested a 24-year-old man on charges related to sedition on Saturday. He was involved with a gathering petitioning for an autonomous investigation into the fire. An internet-based appeal gathered in excess of 10,000 endorsements in a very short time before its information was removed.

Another two individuals, among them a past council member, were also taken in by authorities, as reported by news outlets.

Global Response

The rights group and Another watchdog have both denounced the said apprehensions.

"The moment has come for the city's officials to openly examine the causes of the tragic incident...instead of suppressing those who pose valid inquiries," stated the organization.

Background and Resident Profile

The housing estate was built in the early 1980s and had supplied 1,984 apartments for around 4,600 inhabitants, per a population count.

Approximately 40 percent of its residents are thought to be older than 65 years old. A number have lived in the subsidised housing estate since it was built.

The city's second-worst blaze on file killed 176 lives in the mid-20th century and was the result of a detonation at street level at a multi-story storage facility. The worst was at Happy Valley Racecourse in 1918, when over 600 attendees died.