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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 devastating fire that claimed the lives of 151 individuals.

A Fire of Historic Proportions

This past Wednesday, the majority of the residential blocks at the Wang Fuk Court—which had been undergoing major refurbishment—were consumed by a blaze. Investigators have since found that construction site netting surrounding the buildings fell short of fire safety regulations.

A minimum of 13 individuals have been arrested for suspected manslaughter, comprising the executives of a building firm.

"Yes, it is a tragedy, the fire was immense. Yes, we need reform. We have uncovered shortcomings in various phases. Hence we must respond rigorously to make certain all these deficiencies are eliminated," stated the leader.

The Probe and Its Consequences

The fire—advancing with speed both upwards and between the blocks—was not completely extinguished by the morning of Friday, approximately two days after it began, and took in excess of 2,000 firefighters to bring under control.

That very day, officers commenced entry into the buildings to collect forensic material. Authorities say the probe could require three to four weeks.

Systemic Failures Identified

A number of occupants have stated they failed to hear a emergency siren when the blaze started. Local firefighters found that alarms in each building were operating inadequately.

The city's construction authority has put on hold renovation projects on three dozen private developments.

Calls for Inquiry and Arrests

Additionally, authorities are said to have arrested a young man on suspicion of incitement on the weekend. He was involved with a collective demanding an separate review into the blaze. An online petition gathered over 10,000 supporters in under 24 hours before its information was removed.

Two other people, among them a past council member, were also questioned by police, per press accounts.

International Reaction

Amnesty International and Another watchdog have both criticised the alleged detentions.

"The moment has come for the Hong Kong authorities to thoroughly and publicly probe the reasons of the catastrophic blaze...as opposed to suppressing those who pose valid inquiries," remarked the group.

Historical Context and Demographics

Wang Fuk Court was completed in the early 1980s and had offered 1,984 apartments for approximately 4,600 occupants, based on a population count.

Approximately 40 percent of its occupants are estimated to be over 65 years of age. A number have resided in the subsidised housing estate from its inception.

Hong Kong's second-deadliest fire on in history killed 176 people in the mid-20th century and was triggered by a detonation at street level at a multi-story storage facility. The deadliest was at a sporting venue in 1918, when over 600 attendees perished.