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The city's leader, John Lee, has directed the formation of an autonomous task force to probe the origins of a devastating fire that claimed the lives of 151 people.

A Blaze of Unprecedented Scale

On Wednesday last week, seven of eight tower blocks at the housing complex—which had been undergoing significant upgrades—were consumed by a blaze. A probe subsequently revealed that protective netting installed on the buildings fell short of requirements for fire resistance.

At least 13 suspects have been arrested for suspected manslaughter, among them the directors of a construction company.

"This is indeed a tragedy, the fire was immense. Changes are required. Yes, we have identified failures in different stages. Hence we must respond rigorously to guarantee all these gaps are plucked," stated the leader.

Investigation and Aftermath

The inferno—which spread quickly both upwards and across the separate towers—was not completely extinguished by Friday morning, approximately two days after it began, and required more than 2,000 firefighters to subdue.

The same day, officers commenced entry into the buildings to gather evidence. Officials state the inquiry could take several weeks.

Systemic Failures Identified

Multiple inhabitants have reported they failed to hear a smoke detector when the incident broke out. Local firefighters found that alarms in each building were operating inadequately.

The city's construction authority has halted for now works 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 among a gathering demanding an autonomous investigation into the blaze. An digital signature drive gathered in excess of 10,000 endorsements in under 24 hours before its information was removed.

Two other people, including a past council member, were also detained by officers, per news outlets.

Global Response

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

"Now is the time for the local government to thoroughly and publicly probe the origins of the catastrophic blaze...instead of suppressing those who pose valid inquiries," remarked the group.

Historical Context and Demographics

The residential complex was completed in 1983 and had offered 1,984 apartments for approximately 4,600 occupants, based on a 2021 government census.

Approximately 40 percent of its inhabitants are thought to be over 65 years old. A number have been occupants of the public housing complex from its inception.

The city's second-deadliest fire on record killed 176 individuals in 1948 and was the result of a blast on the lower level at a five-storey warehouse. The deadliest was at Happy Valley Racecourse in 1918, when over 600 attendees lost their lives.