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The city's leader, John Lee, has mandated the establishment of an separate inquiry panel to examine the reasons of a catastrophic blaze that killed at least 151 people.

A Blaze of Unprecedented Scale

This past Wednesday, the majority of the residential blocks at the estate—which had been undergoing extensive renovations—were engulfed by fire. Investigators have since found that protective netting used around the buildings failed to meet fire safety regulations.

At least 13 individuals have been detained on suspicion of potential negligent homicide, comprising the executives of a building firm.

"It is a terrible tragedy, it is a major blaze. Reform is necessary. Yes, we have identified failures in different stages. Hence we must take decisive action to make certain all these deficiencies are addressed," he said.

Investigation and Aftermath

The fire—which spread quickly both vertically and from building to building—was finally put out by the morning of Friday, around 40 hours after it began, and took over 2,000 emergency responders to contain.

The same day, officers commenced entry into the buildings to collect forensic material. The government indicates the investigation could require three to four weeks.

Shortcomings Uncovered

Multiple inhabitants have said they were not alerted by a smoke detector when the incident erupted. The city's fire department found that warning systems in each building were not working effectively.

The relevant regulatory body has halted for now renovation projects on numerous private sites.

Demands for Probe and Detentions

Additionally, authorities are said to have arrested a 24-year-old man on allegations of subversion on Saturday. He was among a collective petitioning for an separate review into the fire. An online petition gathered more than 10,000 signatures in under 24 hours before its page was taken down.

Two other people, comprising a former district councillor, were also questioned by authorities, according to local media reports.

Global Response

The human rights organization and Human Rights Watch have both denounced the said apprehensions.

"Now is the time for the local government to transparently investigate the causes of the devastating fire...as opposed to suppressing those who ask legitimate questions," stated the organization.

Historical Context and Demographics

The housing estate was built in the early 1980s and had provided nearly two thousand flats for approximately 4,600 residents, per a population count.

Nearly 40% of its occupants are believed to be over 65 years old. Several have been occupants of the public housing complex since its construction.

The city's second-most fatal incident on in history killed 176 individuals in the mid-20th century and was caused by a blast on the lower level at a commercial building. The deadliest was at a local racetrack in 1918, when in excess of 600 people died.