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Hong Kong's leader, John Lee, has directed the formation of an independent committee to examine the reasons of a catastrophic blaze that took a minimum of 151 people.

A Fire of Historic Proportions

On Wednesday last week, seven of eight tower blocks at the housing complex—which had been undergoing major refurbishment—were engulfed by fire. A probe subsequently revealed that safety scaffolding mesh surrounding the buildings failed to meet flame retardant standards.

At least 13 people have been detained on suspicion of suspected manslaughter, including the directors of a construction company.

"It is a terrible tragedy, it is a major blaze. Changes are required. Failures have been detected in different stages. Hence we must respond rigorously to make certain all these gaps are addressed," he said.

The Probe and Its Consequences

The fire—advancing with speed both upwards and across the separate towers—was only fully doused by the end of the week, approximately two days after it began, and necessitated in excess of 2,000 fire service personnel to subdue.

On that day, officers commenced entry into the buildings to secure proof. Authorities say the investigation could last three to four weeks.

Shortcomings Uncovered

Multiple inhabitants have stated they were not alerted by a fire alarm when the blaze erupted. Hong Kong's fire service determined that warning systems in every tower were operating inadequately.

Hong Kong's buildings department has put on hold construction activities on 30 private projects.

Demands for Probe and Detentions

Separately, police reportedly detained a young man on allegations of subversion on the weekend. He was involved with a group demanding an separate review into the tragedy. An online petition gathered over 10,000 supporters in a very short time before its page was taken down.

Two other people, including a past council member, were also questioned by police, according to news outlets.

Global Response

The rights group and The monitoring body have both criticised the said apprehensions.

"The moment has come for the Hong Kong authorities to thoroughly and publicly probe the origins of the devastating fire...rather than silencing those who raise appropriate concerns," Amnesty International said.

Background and Resident Profile

The housing estate was constructed in 1983 and had supplied close to 2,000 units for around 4,600 inhabitants, according to a recent official survey.

Almost four in ten of its occupants are estimated to be at least 65 years old. Some have resided in the government-supported development since its construction.

Hong Kong's second-most fatal incident on file killed 176 individuals in 1948 and was triggered by a blast on the lower level at a commercial building. The deadliest was at a local racetrack in the early 1900s, when in excess of 600 individuals perished.