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The city'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 individuals.

A Blaze of Unprecedented Scale

This past Wednesday, the majority of the residential blocks at the housing complex—which was subject to significant upgrades—were engulfed by fire. Authorities later discovered that construction site netting installed on the buildings fell short of fire safety regulations.

No fewer than 13 individuals have been detained on suspicion of suspected manslaughter, including the executives of a construction company.

"Yes, it is a tragedy, it is a major blaze. Yes, we need reform. We have uncovered shortcomings in different stages. Hence we must take decisive action to make certain all these loopholes are plucked," he said.

The Probe and Its Consequences

The inferno—that propagated rapidly both upwards and from building to building—was finally put out by the end of the week, some 40 hours after it ignited, and necessitated over 2,000 fire service personnel to contain.

That very day, police began entering the buildings to collect forensic material. The government indicates the investigation could last several weeks.

Systemic Failures Identified

Several residents have reported they were not alerted by a smoke detector when the blaze broke out. The city's fire department found that warning systems in each building were operating inadequately.

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

Calls for Inquiry and Arrests

Separately, authorities are said to have arrested a young man on charges related to sedition on the weekend. He was among a collective demanding an independent inquiry into the blaze. An internet-based appeal gathered more than 10,000 supporters in a very short time before its contents were wiped.

Two other people, among them a former district councillor, were also taken in by police, per news outlets.

International Reaction

The rights group and The monitoring body have both denounced the alleged detentions.

"The moment has come for the city's officials to thoroughly and publicly probe the causes of the tragic incident...rather than muzzling those who ask legitimate questions," remarked the group.

Historical Context and Demographics

Wang Fuk Court was completed in the early 1980s and had offered nearly two thousand flats for approximately 4,600 residents, according to a recent official survey.

Nearly 40% of its occupants are estimated to be at least 65 years of age. Several have lived in the government-supported development since its construction.

The city's second-worst blaze on in history killed 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 worst was at a sporting venue in 1918, when more than 600 people lost their lives.