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Hong Kong's leader, John Lee, has mandated the establishment of an autonomous task force to examine the reasons of a tragic inferno that took a minimum of 151 people.

A Blaze of Unprecedented Scale

This past Wednesday, the majority of the tower blocks at the housing complex—which had been undergoing major refurbishment—were consumed by a blaze. Authorities later discovered that safety scaffolding mesh surrounding the buildings failed to meet fire safety regulations.

No fewer than 13 suspects have been taken into custody over potential negligent homicide, including the directors of a contractor.

"Yes, it is a tragedy, it is a big fire. Reform is necessary. Yes, we have identified failures in various phases. This is precisely the reason we must respond rigorously to guarantee all these loopholes are plucked," stated the leader.

Investigation and Aftermath

The blaze—advancing with speed both vertically and from building to building—was only fully doused by the morning of Friday, some 40 hours after it started, and required in excess of 2,000 fire service personnel to contain.

On that day, authorities started accessing the buildings to secure proof. Authorities say the inquiry could take approximately a month.

Shortcomings Uncovered

A number of occupants have said they did not hear a smoke detector when the blaze erupted. The city's fire department discovered that warning systems in each building were not working effectively.

The relevant regulatory body has temporarily suspended construction activities 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 suspicion of sedition on Saturday. He was part of a gathering petitioning for an autonomous investigation into the fire. An online petition collected in excess of 10,000 endorsements in a very short time before its page was taken down.

Another two individuals, among them a past council member, were also taken in by police, according to local media reports.

Global Response

The rights group and Human Rights Watch have both condemned the reported arrests.

"The moment has come for the local government to transparently investigate the reasons of the catastrophic blaze...as opposed to muzzling those who pose valid inquiries," stated the organization.

Historical Context and Demographics

The residential complex was built in the early 1980s and had provided close to 2,000 units for some 4,600 occupants, per a recent official survey.

Approximately 40 percent of its residents are estimated to be over 65 years old. A number have lived in the subsidised housing estate from its inception.

The city's second-deadliest fire on in history took 176 lives in the mid-20th century and was the result of a blast on the lower level at a multi-story storage facility. The most deadly was at a sporting venue in the early 1900s, when over 600 attendees died.